Zootopia: The Good, The Bad, And The Evil
by Anguirus1955
Summary: In a ten year span, Nick and Judy have fallen in love, saved the day more times than they can count, and started a family. But at the end of ten years comes an end to that peace. After spending ten years in prison, with nothing left to his name, someone who Nick and Judy have forgotten about has returned, and he wants revenge for everything that he has lost because of them.
1. Family Life

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 01: Family Life**

* * *

Date: Saturday, June 7th, 2023

 **East Savannah Apartments, Apartment # 423**

Judy Wilde's eyes shot open as she felt her stomach become upset once more, forcing herself out of bed quickly. Nick was still asleep, meaning that she could rummage through her clothes drawer and grab her bag from the pharmacy without alerting him before high-tailing it into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. Judy quickly lifted the lid and leaned over, hurling into the toilet.

When she was done, she washed out her mouth and brushed her teeth. "I wish we'd kept our ancestors' inability to do that," Judy muttered, cursing the process of evolution. Reaching over and opening the bag, Judy took out the small box within and read the instructions on it before opening it and retrieving the device inside.

 **Back On The Bed...**

Nicholas Piberius Wilde shifted under the covers, reaching out for the warmth that had suddenly disappeared. His eyes still closed, he started sniffing the bed around him, his paws moving about as he slowly started to wake up. He spun around in the bed, flailing his tail as he sniffed for his mate's scent. He soon opened his eyes, blinking as he tried to get his bearings.

"Judy?" he asked quietly. Judy's habit of getting up early was something that he had become accustomed to after joining the ZPD. Her current habit of getting up _without_ waking him at all, however, was becoming worrisome. Nick slowly crawled out of bed on all fours as he followed the scent trail of his mate, eventually making his way to the bathroom door.

Nick stood up and knocked on the door. "Carrots? Are you okay in there?" Nick asked her. He heard a muffled whimpering sound inside, and the scent of tears hit his nose, instantly causing him to become worried. His mate was in some kind of pain or trouble, and he needed to get inside and help her. "Judy? Are you okay? Is the door unlocked? I'm coming inside," Nick said as he grabbed the handle and opened the door.

He found his wife sitting on the floor with her arms around her legs and her chin on her knees. "What's wrong?" Nick asked his wife. She looked up at him, terrified and bewildered. There were tear stains on her cheek, and when he kneeled down next to her, she merely curled up into his embrace.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked her again, very worriedly. Judy moved an arm to point at the counter. Nick stood up and looked at the little white stick with the pink end on it and saw the box sitting next to it. He looked down at Judy, not quite ready to believe that this was all real until she shakily stood up and looked him in the eyes.

* * *

 **Inside Clawhauser's Apartment**

Wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets, Benjamin Clawhauser felt himself wake up to a strange sensation running through his body, starting in his brain. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "I am going to hear something marvelous today," he said to himself in an anxious tone of voice. "I can feel it in my brain."

* * *

 **Back Inside Nick and Judy's Apartment...**

Nicholas Piberius Wilde looked at his wife with wide eyes. A humongous bombshell had just been dropped on him no less than a minute ago, and his wife, Judith Laverne Wilde, was looking at him expectantly, an anxious expression on her face. Nick didn't really know how to feel about Judy's words, although, he really should have seen it coming. The signs had been there all week.

First, there had been Judy's mood swings. After that, there had been the cravings, and then the sensitivity to bright lights. There was also the biggest indicator of all: morning sickness, and Judy's briefly increased libido, which was the one symptom that had probably caused him to overlook all of the others for a time. But, with the consistency of these symptoms, Judy had finally bought herself a little testing kit at the pharmacy.

She hadn't used it until this morning, but the results, which Nick had seen on the counter next to the sink, were unmistakable.

"Nick. I... I'm pregnant," Judy had said a minute ago. Time did not stop for Nick. The world did not come to a halt. The clock on the wall continued doing its job without interruption. Nick's mouth, however, did stop functioning for a brief moment as he processed the news. Nick gulped and slowly nodded his head as his brain began wrapping itself around Judy's words, which brought him back to the present.

Nick was curious, of course, as to how Judy could be pregnant, but he had never smelled another male on her, and he was the only one that she copulated with. The kits were his and hers, and no one else's. Judy was pregnant. He was the father. He was going to be a father. He, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, was going to be a father.

A small part of Nick wanted to run away and hide, but the rest of his mind quickly beat that small part of him into violent submission. Taking a deep breath, Nick was unable to help himself as a nervous smile spread over his face. Judy quickly mistook this for rejection and tears began to well up in her eyes.

Realizing the delicate nature of the situation, Nick quickly forced himself to grab Judy and pull her into a hug, kissing her on her head. "I'm not mad. I'm not angry. I... I am nervous, and scared, Carrots. I'm terrified, but... I'm also... happy?" Nick said, uncertain. His father had disappeared from his life when he was very young. He still didn't know just what had happened to his father, or whether the older fox was even still alive.

What Nick did know, however, was that he would not disappear from his children's lives. He would be there for them, no matter what happened. He would be there for his wife, his best friend, his mate, Judy Wilde. They'd faced numerous life-threatening situations and criminals in their lives prior to this, and they were going to face this situation head-on and come out for the better.

"N-Nick, I promise you, they're yours," Judy said. "I know. I can smell it. But... there's still one very important thing we have to discuss," Nick said. "W-What's that?" Judy asked him with a nervous gulp. "How many are we having?" Nick asked her with a smile. Judy's nervousness washed away as she looked up at Nick. She started to chuckle before leaning up and kissing her mate on his snout.

"I don't know yet. Do you mean how many are in me, or how many will we have until we stop?" she asked him. "How many are in you?" he asked her. "I don't know yet," she replied with a giggle. "Well then... I guess we should find out," Nick said. "Wanna schedule an appointment with your doctor next week?" Nick asked her. "Want to? Nick, I need to," Judy replied.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked her as he rubbed her back gently. "Yes," Judy replied. "Then I'll be there. We... we'll have to notify Chief Bogo, though. Hopefully, we can tell him before Clawhauser figures it out and blabs to everyone," Nick said. "Well, we don't have to tell anyone until Monday," Judy said. "No. Right now, it's just us. Let's call my mother and tell her that she finally has grand-kits. Then we can call your parents and see their reactions," Nick said with a grin.

"Yeah, let's call your mom first," Judy said with a smile. Nick nodded his head. "Hey, Mom, guess what? I'm going to be a father," Nick said, rehearsing his speech. "I... I'm going to be a father," he said. Now that he had said the words out loud, the whole thing took on a much greater meaning to him. "I'm... I'm going to be a father!" he exclaimed as he pulled Judy into a hug.

"I'm so happy and terrified and anxious!" he said quickly. "So am I, but you aren't the one who's going to be carrying these kits to term," Judy replied. "Oh yeah... Judy, you're going to be a mother," Nick said with a grin. "That much is obvious," Judy said, rolling her eyes. "Say it out loud," Nick urged her. "I... I'm going to be a mother. I'm going to be a mother! I'm going to get fat and bloated and I'll be put on desk duty!" Judy cried out.

"That's quite true, but you'll still get paid maternity leave," Nick said. "I-I guess so. We're going to be parents," Judy said. "Let's say it together," Nick said as he dragged Judy out of the bathroom and over to the bedroom, quietly grabbing Judy's phone and dialing her mother's phone. "Okay, together. One, two..." " _Hello? Judy?_ " Bonnie Hopps asked through the muzzle-time app.

"Three!" Nick finished before taking a breath. "WE'RE GOING TO BE PARENTS!" Nick and Judy exclaimed happily together. " _What!?_ " Bonnie asked in shock through the phone. Judy looked over at the phone in Nick's paw. "Hi, Mom," Judy said with wide eyes. " _Hey, what's going on?_ " Stu Hopps asked as he walked over to his wife and looked at the phone.

"Um... hi Dad. Guess what? I'm pregnant!" Judy said happily. " _Oh, that's good! So, who donated to you?_ " Stu asked. "Nick's the father," Judy said happily as said fox put an arm around her and drew her to his side with a smile. "I am," Nick said. Stu's eyes widened and he fainted. " _Stu?_ " Bonnie asked as she looked down at her husband.

Nick turned to look at his wife. "Let's call my mother next," Nick said. Judy, realizing that Nick had tricked her by calling her parents first, nodded her head. "Bye Mom! We gotta call Nick's mother and tell her too! We'll call you guys back later!" Judy said before ending the call. She quickly dialed a number on her phone and kept the muzzle-time off.

As soon as the phone was picked up on the other end, Nick spoke. "Hey, Mom, guess what? Me and Judy are going to be parents! Judy's pregnant... and I'm the father," Nick said joyously. " _Oh em goodness! I have to tell everyone!_ " came a male voice that snapped Nick out of his reverie. "That... is not my mother," Nick said in horrified realization. "No. No, that is _not_ ," Judy said with a smirk. Nick turned to look at his mate and saw the victorious grin on her face.

"Sly bunny," Nick said. "Dumb fox," Judy replied. "Perfect mate," Nick said. "Perfect mate," Judy replied before leaning forward and kissing him. Judy shut the phone off before she and Nick began engaging in the very act that had caused that morning's events in the first place.

* * *

Date: Tuesday, July 10th, 2023

Nick winced as Judy nearly crushed his paw. "Just another push!" the doctor, a badger named Peltzer, said. "Aaaannnnnddd... here he comes! Here's the other twin!" Dr. Peltzer announced as he helped deliver the second of Nick and Judy's offspring. "Okay, cut the cord," Peltzer said to one of the nurses, who quickly grabbed a pair of surgical scissors. "He's cute... and icky lookin'," Peltzer said as he wiped off the fluids from the newborn's fur.

Judy let out a sigh of relief, now that the ordeal was finally over. "M-May I-" "Hold him? Certainly," Dr. Peltzer said. "Actually, I was asking my wife if I could have my paw back. I think the bones are broken," Nick said in a whimper. "Oh, you'll get over that," Dr. Peltzer said.

Both infants were quickly wrapped up in blankets after being cleaned off. The nurses brought them over to Nick and Judy. "Would you like to hold them before we take them over to the monitoring room?" Dr. Peltzer asked Judy. "Yes," Judy said softly as she held her arms out.

The first nurse, a female zebra, handed the first newborn to her mother. "Hey there," Judy cooed to the infant, who hadn't yet opened her eyes. "She looks like an orange-furred Fennec," Judy whispered. "Yeah. I'm gonna tease Finnick so much over this. He is totally gonna be our babysitter," Nick said with a grin.

"Sir, would you like to hold your son?" the second nurse, a female puma, asked him. "Uh... s-sure," Nick replied hesitantly. He held out his arms and the nurse gently placed the wrapped-up infant in his clutch. "He's... so small," Nick whispered as he looked at his son. "Um, have you both decided on the names for your offspring?" Dr. Peltzer asked them. "Judy?" Nick asked his wife. "Judy for the girl?" Peltzer asked. "No, no. That's my wife's name," Nick said. "Oh, right," Peltzer said, embarrassed by his slip-up.

"Ben. Benjamin Wilde, for my son," Nick said. "Okay. And... the girl?" Peltzer asked as he looked over at Judy, who was talking to her daughter. "And you're gonna be big and strong, and you'll make all the boys go crazy when you get older," Judy said. "Yeah, but they're gonna keep their paws to themselves," Nick said.

"Aww! Your daddy's already protective of you," Judy said with a smile. "So, what's her name?" Nick asked her. "Victoria Wilde," Judy said. "The Wilde Victory," she added with a smile.

* * *

Date: Friday, Sol 6th, 2023

 **East Savannah Apartments, Apartment # 423**

Judy was sitting on the couch with Benjamin and Victoria when the door bell rang. Looking down at her watch, Judy's face lit up as she realized who had finally arrived. "Hey, guys, guess who's here?" Judy asked her infants. Victoria tilted her head quizzically while Benjamin merely blinked at her, his ears perking up at the excitement in his mother's voice.

"You both just stay in your carriers," Judy said before getting off of the couch and walking over to the door. She unlocked the door and opened it to see Bonnie and Stu Hopps standing in the doorway. "Mom! Dad!" Judy said excitedly. "Jude the Dude!" Stu said as he reached over and pulled his daughter into a hug.

"Sorry it took us so long to make it up here," Stu said apologetically. "We wanted to come sooner, but we got caught up with the work load on the farm," Bonnie said. "Speaking of which, we brought you guys a whole bunch of lettuce, carrots, apples, and blueberries!" Stu said as he let go of his daughter and reached down to pick up the boxes of food.

"We also brought a few of Gideon's pies with us. He said congratulations," Bonnie added with a smile. "Aw, that's so sweet! How is Gideon anyway? I haven't heard much from or about him in a while," Judy asked them as she reached down to help them pick up the food. "Now, Judy, you're still recovering from your pregnancy. You should let us take care of this stuff," Stu said as he shooed her away.

"Dad, I'm not an invalid! Besides, my body is recovering just fine. In another week I'll be able to do more than ten pushups at a time. I'm hoping to make my way back to a hundred soon enough," Judy protested. "Always pushing yourself," Stu muttered. "You know, one of these days, that's gonna get you into some trouble. I mean, what if you push yourself too hard and hurt yourself while Nick's at work? What if your phone isn't on you or nearby when it happens?" Stu asked her with concern.

"What if your children need you when it happens? What if you have to go back to the hospital? What if Nick isn't able to stay home and take care of the little ones while you're injured? Who's gonna take care of your kids while Nick's at work? What if he gets injured at work and then you get injured from pushing yourself too hard? What happens then?" Stu asked her worriedly.

"Now, Stu. I'm sure that Judy's given plenty of thought to that," Bonnie said reassuringly. "Actually, I haven't," Judy admitted sheepishly. "Well... please do," Stu said. "So, anyway, you wanted to know how Gideon's doing, right?" Bonnie asked. "Yeah. How is he? I... really haven't heard much from him since... you know," Judy said, remembering the incident at the train station where Maulia Barbaros had taken her mother and Gideon hostage.

"Well... he's gotten engaged," Bonnie said. "He has!?" Judy asked her. "Yep. He met this vixen at his shop last year. Started going out with her after a couple of months," Stu explained. "Mom, I thought _you_ were the one who had all of the gossip and stories," Judy teased. "Let your father have the spotlight for once," Bonnie said with a smile.

A chirp was heard from the living room, and Judy's ears perked up. "What was that?" Bonnie asked. "That was your granddaughter," Judy replied. "Come on in!" she said, ushering her parents inside the apartment. Despite Stu's protests, Judy did grab couple of bags and helped bring them inside, placing them on the kitchen table. Bonnie and Stu set the food down and carefully made their way over to the living room, seeing the tiny hybrids in their baby carriers.

"Well, would you look at that? They almost look like those Phoenix foxes," Stu said. "I think you mean Fennec foxes," Bonnie said. "R-Right. Fennec foxes," Stu said. "I didn't actually think it was possible," Stu whispered as he stepped closer to Ben, who looked at him with a curious smile on his face. Ben let out an excited squeak as Stu kneeled down in front of him.

"I think he likes you," Bonnie said. Stu was hesitant. "He's so... orange. We sure our daughter didn't mate with a fruit instead of a fox?" Stu joked. "Oh, Stu," Bonnie admonished him playfully. "His name is Benjamin," Judy said as she stepped over and picked him up. Ben let out a happy squeak before reaching his paws out towards Stu.

"Do you... want to hold him?" Judy asked her father. "I... is it safe? I mean, you don't think he's too fragile?" Stu asked her nervously. "Dad, think about who his parents are," Judy said. "I know, it's just... you weren't tough as stone when you were a newborn either Jude," Stu said as he slowly reached his arms out for Judy to gently place Ben in his grandfather's arms.

Stu brought the small hybrid close to his chest. Small purple eyes looked up at him excitedly. "He has your eyes, Jude," Stu said as he cradled the infant. "He really is a hybrid," Stu said as he studied Ben's features. "He's adorable," Bonnie said.

"Mom? Would you like to hold Victoria?" Judy asked as she gently picked up her daughter, cradling her in her arms. Victoria looked at Bonnie curiously, studying her maternal grandmother with sharp green eyes. "She definitely takes after her father, doesn't she?" Bonnie asked as she reached out and tried to take Victoria. Vicky tensed up, her eyes widening and he ears flatening in suspicion.

"Vicky, what's wrong? This is your grandmother," Judy said before holding Victoria out towards Bonnie, who took the hybrid in her arms before cradling her. Victoria looked very apprehensive before Bonnie started gently rocking her. The small kit soon found herself curling into Bonnie's embrace and letting out an appreciative chirp, smiling at her maternal grandmother.

"She's so cute," Bonnie said before looking over at her daughter, who had tears in her eyes. "Judy? What's wrong?" Bonnie asked her. "I-I just... I was so afraid that you... I was afraid that you would reject them," Judy admitted tearfully. "Oh, Judy. _Never_. Never in a million years," Bonnie said as she stepped over to her daughter and used her one arm to pull Judy's head towards her chest, just above Victoria.

Victoria chirped and licked at her mother's face. "It's okay, Vicky. Mommy's just very emotional right now," Judy said, trying to reassure her daughter. "Uh, hey Jude? Where do you keep the diapers at?" Stu asked nervously. "In the bathroom. Why?" Judy asked her father, just before a certain smell hit her nose. "I think Ben needs a new one," Stu said.

* * *

Date: Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One**

Captain Martin Glover had just exited the bathroom when he noticed the large group of officers standing out in the lobby. Hearing the unmistakable sounds of Clawhauser going gaga over something, Glover was about to turn around when he heard the question. "Are they really both half fox and bunny?" Officer Ivor Johnson asked.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Glover turned around and made his way over to the group, where he tried peering around Francine Trunkaby to get a better look at the center of everyone's attention. "Oh, Captain Glover!" Clawhauser said excitedly. "Hi, Clawhauser," Glover said with a fake smile. "You have got to see Nick and Judy's children! They're adorable!" Clawhauser squeed. "You need to stop doing that," Glover muttered.

With Officer Garber stepping to the side, Glover moved in closer and saw the small, orange-furred hybrids. They looked very much like orange Fennec foxes, but there were notable differences. Their snouts were more like that of a bunny than a fox, although the narrow angle of a fox's snout was still apparent. Ben had purple eyes, like his mother, while Victoria had green eyes, like her father, although Victoria was the more fox-like of the two anyway.

Looking up at Glover, Victoria tilted her head, and then chirped. "She does that. A lot," Nick said flatly. "Uh-huh. How old are they again?" Glover asked Nick. "Between four and five months now," Nick replied. "Aw, the girl is so cute," McLeod said, earning a glare from Judy.

"What? I can't call an infant cute?" McLeod asked her. "He has a point. Besides, she's only _part_ bunny," Nick said to his wife. "Oh fine," Judy grumbled. "Yeah. Besides, you called Francine's daughter cute the other month, didn't you?" Nick asked her. "Hypocrite," Fursfield muttered in a teasing tone. "What are their names?" Glover asked. "The girl is Victoria, and the boy is Benjamin. And _no_ , Clawhauser, we did not name him after you, so stop telling everybody that!" Nick said as he glared at the cheetah.

"Wait... are you back from maternity leave already?" Glover asked Judy. "No. I was actually just bringing Nick something and decided to bring the kits with me," Judy replied. "Huh. I figured Nick was still partnered with... um... Burns?" Glover asked. "No. Wolford," Nick said with a sigh. "Right," Glover said. "Hey, Cap, do you have any kids?" Judy asked him. "I did. Then they grew up," Glover said. Silver hairs were just starting to show around his neck and whiskers.

Victoria chirped again, causing Clawhauser to whine in adoration again. "Okay, if he's gonna keep doing that, then I'm going back to my office. I'm too old for my ears to be subjected to that noise anymore," Glover said as he turned around and walked back towards the Homicide Department.

* * *

Date: Thursday, December 5th, 2023

As Judy walked around the produce department of the local S-MART, she noticed the curious glances that various animals, both customers and employees, were sending her way. Or rather, they were sending them towards her children. Ben was currently sitting in a baby-seat attached to the small animal-sized cart that Judy was pushing, while Victoria was in a harness attached to Judy.

Most of the larger animals, which were found in the up-sized departments, didn't pay much attention to her, but the medium-sized animals, who were in all of the departments, had found the infant hybrids to be a curious sight. As Judy grabbed a bag of celery and placed in in the cart, she noticed a hare doe and her daughter staring at Ben and Vicky. "Hello," Judy said cheerfully. "Uh... hello," the doe said in return.

The daughter stepped closer to inspect the hybrids. "Hey... why's their fur orange?" the young doe asked. "Because they're part fox," Judy replied with a smile. "Ooh!" the daughter replied in awe. The mother, however, narrowed her eyes and grabbed her daughter's arm. "Come on, Cindy. We have more groceries we need to get," the mother said hurriedly.

Judy, despite her optimism, didn't miss the tone of the other doe's voice, or the way she had reacted to the news of Ben and Vicky's parentage. After finishing the food-shopping, the trio made their way to the baby aisle as Judy looked for more diapers. "Come on... there's the kind we need," she said as she looked at a package on the shelf, just as a goat took it, revealing that it had been the last one.

Looking up, Judy saw a box on the top of the shelf. Glancing past the goat, who was now arguing with his wife over what kind flu medicine they should get, Judy saw an employee stocking the shelf adjacent to the one with the diapers and wipes. Moving forward, Judy approached the young donkey. "Um excuse me, sir?" Judy asked him.

"Huh?" he asked her as he stood up. "Um, could you perhaps help me get a package of those diapers up on that shelf? I need at least two packages," Judy requested. The donkey looked at the two hybrid infants quizzically. "Huh... they don't look like normal bunnies," the donkey said. "Well, they're both part fox," Judy replied. "They're... hybrids?" the employee asked her, suddenly taking a subtly offended tone in his voice.

"Yes. And given how they grow, I really need diapers that can fit them, and the ones up there are just the right size for them," Judy said. "Uh-huh. You sure that that's the right box?" the donkey asked her. "I'm pretty sure. The letters may be upside down, but I can read it all right," Judy replied. The donkey pushed his two-tiered cart over to the shelf and stood up on the steps before grabbing the box. He turned it around and looked at the UPC code on the side.

"Could you read me the UPC code on the shelf?" he asked Judy. "Sure! It's 01178-04023," Judy replied. The donkey looked at the UPC code on the box. It matched perfectly. "I'm sorry, but this has a different UPC code on it. I don't think you want something that will make your children uncomfortable," the donkey lied. "Oh. Are-Are you sure it's the wrong one? The colors on the box match what had just been pulled off of the shelf earlier," Judy said.

"I'm positive," the donkey lied again. "I see," Judy said, deflated. "Well... thanks your for help," she said before pushing her shopping cart away towards another aisle. Much of the rest of her trip had the same outcome, with several employees telling her that they were out of an item that she needed, after learning of Ben and Vicky's nature. After a while, Judy decided to hang back and watch as other customers asked for the same item.

A few of the customers received the same response, but after three of them were able to receive that same item that been denied to her, Judy began to fume. After the third one, she marched back over to the ocelot who had just retrieved a package of plastic child-safe plates for another customer. "Excuse me, sir?" Judy asked. "Yes?" the ocelot asked her. "Two minutes ago, I asked for that same exact set of plates, and you told me that you didn't have anymore. Just now, I saw you go back and retrieve more of them for that otter and her children," Judy said.

"Did you _lie_ to me?" Judy asked him. "N-No! I just... forgot that we had more in the back," the ocelot lied. "Then, considering that you have a whole box full of those plates, may I please have a set?" Judy asked him. "Um, see, we need to save these for a big order from the Ranger Scouts for this weekend, so I can't afford to give anymore away," the ocelot lied.

Judy began to feel her indignation rising up. The ocelot was clearly lying to her. "Sir... you are lying. Worse, you are lying... to a police officer," Judy growled at him. "Police? Where's your bad-oh," the ocelot said as Judy removed her ID from her pocket, showing him her rank as a police sergeant. Granted, she wasn't on duty, but... this was flat-out discrimination.

"H-Here," the ocelot said nervously. "Thank you," Judy said with a smile. "I'll be certain to let your manager know how helpful you've been," Judy said sweetly before placing the plates in the cart and moving on. The ocelot watched her as she walked past him.

" _Freaks_ ," he muttered under his breath as he looked at the children. Judy's ears swiveled and she stopped walking. It was when she turned around and glared at him that the ocelot realized how much trouble he was now in. "Uh-oh."

* * *

When Judy returned home with Ben and Vicky, she set to work putting away the groceries before picking up her babies and taking them over to the couch, nestling them against her as she reclined on it. Looking back and forth between her two children, Judy felt a pang of sorrow in her chest. "Not everyone is like that," she said to them, but more-so to herself. "N-Not everyone... will _be_ that way," she said, trying to hold back the tears.

"Y-You'll both be treated fairly. Th-This is Zootopia, where any-anyone can be anything," Judy said, her voice cracking up as she started thinking about every single incident that had occurred that day. "You'll both... be fine. You'll both be f-fine," Judy said, her voice croaking now as the tears trailed down her cheeks. "Mommy's sorry," she whispered to her infants, both of whom were looking up at her in confusion.

Vicky leaned her head forward and sniffed her mother before nuzzling her and whining. "It-It's okay, Vicky. Mommy's... Mommy's just a little overwhelmed right now," Judy said tearfully, thinking about her children's futures. "She's just... a little scared for you," she said, before she started weeping quietly. Ben and vicky both crawled into their mother's embrace, cuddling with her in order to comfort her. "Th-Thank you," Judy whispered as she hugged them close.

"No matter what happens, remember that Mommy and Daddy love you very much," Judy whispered to her kits. "We both love you more than anything in the whole wide world, and we'll do whatever we can for you," Judy whispered tearfully. "It'll be tough, but... we'll see it through."

* * *

Date: Saturday, December 7th, 2023

 **East Savannah Apartments, Apartment # 423**

Nick lifted the covers off of the bed to see his daughter rolling around. She looked up at him and smiled, her ears lifting up and her eyes full of mirth. "Found you!" Nick said. She chirped at him before crawling forward and stretching her arms out, waving them as her father picked her up and nuzzled her. "Aw!" Judy exclaimed as she saw the sight while standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, aww. Just wait until we leave her alone with the babysitter. Poor girl's gonna freak when she discovers how mischievous Vicky can be," Nick said. "Girl? Finnick wasn't available again?" Judy asked her husband. "Actually, it's more along the lines of... yeah, he's really busy today," Nick said, not caring to tell Judy about Finnick's tirade over the phone regarding the last time they had left their kits with him.

"Is he still mad about the stains?" Judy asked him. "Uh... a little bit," Nick replied. The doorbell to the apartment rang. "Oh, that must be her," Nick said. "Her? Who exactly did you convince to babysit?" Judy asked him. "Oh, just a little someone who's learned how to appreciate responsibility," Nick said cryptically as he walked over to the door, carrying Victoria in his arms while Judy followed him, holding Ben in hers.

Walking over to the door, Nick opened it and revealed the babysitter to Judy. "Clayworth?" Judy asked, surprised to see the Arctic vixen again. "Hi!" Janet said with an enthusiastic wave of her right paw. In her left paw were the straps of a large paw-bag that hung over her shoulder. "I have a bunch of baby books and stuff in here. Bright colors and things like that," Janet Clayworth said.

"Eh, just give Vicky a cardboard box and she's good to go," Nick said, looking down at the small female in his arms. Vicky smiled at him before making strange baby gibberish noises. "Yeah... I liked your little chirps a lot more," Nick said. "Agga! Aghhaoooiiiiooooeeee," Victoria babbled. "That's right. Just keep saying that. One day you'll form actual words," Nick said, nodding his head with a smile.

"Oh, she's so precious!" Janet squealed. "Does _everyone_ do that around our offspring?" Nick asked curiously. Judy frowned as she remembered going to the supermarket with Ben and Victoria just two days earlier. "Not everyone," Judy whispered sadly, causing Nick to frown as he remembered what his wife had discussed with him the other day.

Janet picked up on Judy's tone. "Aw, someone actually held disdain for these little guys? Well, ignore those heartless bastards! If I had let everyone's negativity get me down, I never would have persevered and become a police officer!" Janet said firmly.

"Janet... thank you," Judy said softly. "So, our phone numbers are on the fridge, along with the emergency contact numbers for my mother, Finnick, Cynthia-I mean, Sergeant Furrero, Sergeant Gibson, Clawhauser, Chief Bogo, and our in-laws, although given how far away Stu and Bonnie live, I don't think you want to call them first," Nick said.

"They live in... Bunnyburrow, right?" Janet asked. "Yeah. Quite the long drive," Nick replied with a nod of his head. "Okay, there's also a list of safe foods on the fridge, but I'd suggest just sticking to the formula for now. Make sure to warm it up for them in microwave on power level two for ninety seconds," Judy said. "Ninety seconds at power level two. Got it," Janet said.

"Is there a set bed time for them?" Janet asked. "I don't think that works until they're old enough to understand the concept of letting Mommy and Daddy sleep peacefully," Nick said dryly. "So, if I need to reach you, which cell number should I use?" Janet asked them. "Well, we're going to have our phones on vibrate while we're at the gala, but either one of us will do if you need help with something," Nick said.

"The diaper supplies are in the bathroom in the cupboard under the sink," Judy said. "And there's some vegetarian lasagna in the fridge. You can have some if you'd like," Nick said. "Thank you," Janet said appreciatively. "Don't offer the hell-spawn any solid foods, though. They aren't worthy yet," Nick joked. "But, seriously, stick to formula. No matter how much they beg, and no matter how much they cry, don't give them anything other than the formula. They're hybrids, so we're still not certain just how far along their digestive systems have developed when compared to a full-blooded bunny or fox at their age," Nick added.

"Got it," Janet said. "Um, should I keep them their carriers or should I let them roll around for a bit?" Janet asked. "Uh... since they're already out, I'd say just let them stay out unless you have to use the bathroom for more than a few minutes," Judy said. "Okay. Are they cooperative when they get put in the carrier seats?" Janet asked as she saw the small portable car seat things sitting in the living room.

"They usually are for us," Nick said. "Here, hold Vicky so that she can get used to you," Nick said before handing the small kit over to the white-furred vixen. "Aww!" Janet whined as she held the infant in her arms. Victoria looked up at her and sniffed at the full-blooded vixen before chirping at her. "Aww, does that mean you like me?" Janet asked Vicky. Victoria merely blinked at her before reached a paw up at Janet's snout. "Yeah, my nose is bigger than your-ack!" Janet said with a grimace as Victoria dug her tiny claws into her black nose.

"Um... ouch," Janet said. Victoria smiled and chirped at her. "Yeah... I'll make sure you have a ball or something," Janet said nervously. "See, she already likes you. She did that to Clawhauser twice," Nick said. "Uh-huh," Janet replied. "Is there any music that they like?" Janet asked.

"Um... we don't know yet," Nick said. "Victoria doesn't care for Gazelle," Judy said with disappointment in her voice. "Well, since Clawhauser was the one who introduced Gazelle to her, maybe you should blame him," Nick said with a smirk. He then reached over and retrieved Victoria from Janet. "Okay, let her hold Ben," Nick said to Judy. Judy held forward, and Janet cradled the little hybrid in her arms.

"He's such a cutie," Janet said as Ben's nose twitched. He moved his head forward to sniff Janet before tilting his head and making gibberish noises. "Yep. He'll make a fine public speaker one day," Nick said humorously. "So, I guess we'll be going then. Chief Buffalo-Butt will probably have our badges if we're more than fifteen minutes late for this thing," Nick said as he led Janet to the living room and gently placed Victoria in the carrier seat.

"Now, you be a good girl for Miss Clayworth, okay?" Nick said to his daughter. Victoria chirped in response, while Janet sat down on the couch, still holding Benjamin in her arms. Judy walked over a gave both Ben and Victoria pecks on their cheeks. "Bye-bye guys! Be good for Janet. We'll be back later! Love you!" Judy said as she waved to her young before she and Nick grabbed their formal outfits from the kitchen table.

Nick and Judy took one last look back at the living room before heading out the door and closing it behind them. Looking down at the small hybrid in her arms, Janet cooed affectionately while holding up a finger, allowing Ben to grab it and study it. "Wow, aren't you strong?" Janet asked the baby playfully. Ben smiled as he brought the finger to his mouth as he tried to nibble on it.

"Aww, you're just too cute," Janet said with a smile. She looked over and saw Victoria looking up at her with wide expectant eyes, holding her own arms out. "D'aww!" Janet squealed at the sight. Victoria made weird babbling sounds as she reached out again for attention. "Oh, you're definitely gonna be a heart-breaker when you grow up," Janet said with a smile.

* * *

 **Six Years Later...**

Date: Wednesday, August 18th, 2029

"Are you guys ready for your first day of Kindergarten?" Nick asked his daughter and son as he drove them to the front of the Zootopia Early Education Center. Ben fidgeted nervously, while Victoria looked out the window at the large green-colored building. "Will they have books to read?" she asked her father. "Well... they'll have books, but I don't think they'll be as intellectually stimulating as the ones at home," Nick replied.

"Will the other kids make fun of us?" Ben asked nervously. Nick sighed in response. "Son, everybody gets made fun of by somebody else at some point in life. I wish I could say that everything will be sunshine and smiles, but... chances are that you'll get a few kids who are wary of you or don't understand your... _nature_ , so to speak. Some of them might try to learn more about you, and others... might make fun of you to hide their own fears and insecurities," Nick said, looking at Judy as she opened the door to the car and got out.

Walking over to the side of the car, Judy opened the passenger side door and unbuckled Victoria's seat belt. "Um... is it too late to say I don't wanna go?" Victoria asked her mother nervously. "Yes, honey, it's too late to back down," Judy said. "But Dad said that people might make fun of us," Ben said. "That's because your father prefers being honest with you instead of lying. He didn't exactly have the greatest childhood," Judy said.

"I didn't exactly have a dad after age seven either," Nick muttered as he opened the door and retrieved Ben from his seat. "You're not gonna leave us when we turn seven, are you!?" Ben asked him with wide eyes, terrified. "What? Of course not!" Nick replied as he hugged his son. "I plan on staying with you guys as long as I can, which will be forever," Nick said as he put a paw on Ben's head and ruffled him a bit.

"So, will you stay here with us today?" Ben asked his father. "Um... not exactly. See, your mom and I still have work today, so we can't really stay here all day. We'll definitely be back to pick you up when the school day is over, though," Nick said. "No! I don't wanna go!" Victoria protested as she latched onto her mother. "Vicky," Judy said.

"No! No!" Victoria whined. "Victoria Sara Wilde, you are going to attend kindergarten whether you like it or not. It's a great way to start education before First Grade," Judy said firmly. "But we'll meet other kids who'll treat us mean and say things about us and make fun of us!" Victoria whined. "Yes, you might meet some animals who are like that, but not everyone is that way, Vicky. Most animals are good people, you'll see," Judy said as she pried her daughter off of her.

"Now, come on," Judy said as she took hold of her daughter's left arm and walked towards the front doors of the building. Nick carried Ben with him. "Ben, I'm gonna put you down when we get to the doors, okay? You need to be a big boy and walk on your own," Nick said. "Do I have to?" Ben asked him. "Yes. I had to do this when I was your age, so you have to do it too," Nick replied firmly.

"I don't wanna," Ben said. "I'm aware," Nick replied. "This sucks," Ben whined. "I'm aware," Nick added. "I'm hungry," Ben said. "You already had breakfast, and I'm certain that they have a scheduled time for lunch here. You can last until then," Nick said as they neared the doors. He then put Ben down on his feet.

"Ready?" Nick asked his son and daughter as he looked at them, along with his wife. "No," Vicky and Ben said simultaneously. "Great. Let's go inside," Nick said as he pushed open the door, Judy walking beside him with Victoria and Ben between them.

 **Thirty Minutes Later...**

Nick and Judy sat in the car, looking over at the Zootopia Early Education Center as they put on their seat belts. Judy looked over at her husband, who had a concerned expression on his face as he buckled his seat belt. "Hey... are you okay?" she asked him softly. "Of course. I am completely okay. I am the epitome of okay. I have never been more okay in my entire existence," Nick said facetiously.

"Nick, I'm nervous too, but we have to do this. We have to let them go at some point. We can't keep them in the house forever. Do you know how they'll turn out if we do that? They'll be completely unprepared for the real world, and they'll get hurt so badly," Judy said. "I-I know. I just... I'm just scared for them," Nick admitted. "I'm scared for us. Even now, I still wonder if I'm father material, Carrots. Anyone can get a girl pregnant, but being a father; I don't know if I have what it takes sometimes," Nick said.

"Hey, I'm sure that everyone feels that way," Judy said. "Yeah. Can we call your father up and ask him for advice on how to do this in the future? I mean, since he and your mother have had so much experience? My mom might be older, but... she's only ever had me to deal with. Your parents... have _so_ much more experience than even my own mother. I mean... look at how many children they have," Nick said.

"I know. Maybe we can get them to talk to the kids too. They always listen to their grandparents," Judy said. "Of course they do. Their grandparents give them presents," Nick said. "Come on, let's... let's get to the station," Judy said before Nick started the car. The duo drove off, heading for Station 01 of the Zootopia Police Department's First Precinct, ready to make the world a better place.

* * *

Author's Notes: And here's the first chapter of Zootopia: The Good, The Bad, And The Evil. Now, to be clear, the title _is_ a reference to the Sergio Leone movie, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966), starring Clint Eastwood, but this story bears no relation or resemblance to it otherwise. I just liked the sound of the title.

Also, yes I took one of my one-shots and used it for the beginning of the chapter, modifying it slightly. However, since I had already established that the one-shot, Mr. and Mrs. Wildes' Morning News, was part of the Reckless Endangerment series, I think I can get away with that. I had a bit more stuff planned for this chapter, but I didn't want to make it too long and feel exhausting.

Anyway, in the next chapter, we get to meet our villains. One of them is new, and is a tiger. The other one is an old villain from our heroes' rogues gallery, who gets released from prison. Can you guys guess who it is? Let me know what you think of the story, as well as who you think the villain will be, in your reviews.


	2. Homecoming

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

Well, I didn't see any reviews that guessed at this story's main villain or villains. For my readers who failed to leave reviews, your family, friends, and even your pets will all receive telepathic signals instructing them to love you less now.

(That was meant to be humorous.)

* * *

 **Chapter 02: Homecoming**

* * *

Date: Wednesday, October 11th, 2029

The prison warden, a male dingo in his forties, looked up at the animal standing in front of his desk, with two guards standing to the side. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit, just like all of the other inmates. "Well, it looks like you're free to go," Warden Douglas Graham said after taking another look at the confirmation e-mail on his computer.

"Thank you," the inmate said with a nod of his head. "Quite honestly, though, I'm amazed that you didn't get yourself into more trouble than you did," Graham said as he folded his arms and reclined his his chair. "I taught everyone a valuable lesson the first month. Besides, my former reputation still precedes me," the inmate said with a grin.

"Yeah, well, let's hope that doesn't impede your search for an honest paying job," Graham said as he restrained himself from letting the sarcasm show. "Oh, I anticipate it," the inmate said as he smirked at Graham. "Your ride will be here in about an hour. Apparently you still have a few associates willing to be around you," Graham said. "I wasn't a brute to _everyone_ ," the now-former inmate said.

"A ten year prison sentence may argue against that," Graham said. "Yes, and my good behavior may argue _for it_ ," the ex-con said. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, buddy. I hope that you can become a productive member of society, so take care of yourself. I don't wanna see you get brought back here for another sentence," Graham said as he eyed the large monitor lizard in front of him.

The lizard flashed a grin at Graham. "Oh, don't worry, Graham. I don't intend to return," he said confidently. "Now, you can still use the money you earned from your job in here out there, but don't spend it all in one place. And don't extort anyone for more," Graham said. "I was always financially responsible," the lizard replied. "Here are some reference papers for jobs, along with some letters of recommendation from me," Graham said as he held out a manila folder to the dragon. Komo took it and nodded his head. "Good bye, Komo. Your clothes are over on that chair, and you can change in one of our nicer restrooms," Graham said.

"You're too kind," Komo Domo said with a grin. "I know," Graham said with a frown. "Get dressed and head onto the waiting room. Your associate will be here within the hour," Graham said. "Good bye, Warden Graham. You're going to miss the order that I brought to this place," Komo said with a wry smile as he walked over to a chair and picked up the clothes, before exiting the room, followed by one of the guards.

The other guard walked over to the warden. "Are you sure we can just let him go?" the guard, a male Spencer's Goanna, asked him. "He served his sentence, with good behavior, for the most part. We can't legally keep him here any longer unless he does something to warrant extra time on his sentence," Graham said with a sigh. "But what about his first month here?" the guard asked him. "Everyone has a rough first month. No exceptions," Graham replied.

 **An Hour Later...**

Sitting down in the waiting room, Komo lifted his head as he heard the guard finish talking on the phone. "Looks like your ride's here," the guard, a koala, said. Komo nodded his head before standing up and walking over to the door. "I'll have Sanders escort you out," the guard said before motioning to another guard. The other guard, a male dingo, walked over to the doors and opened them, motioning for Komo to follow him.

Stepping outside the prison, Komo looked up at the sky. It was cloudy. Looking back ahead, Komo saw the large pickup truck parked outside the prison gate, near the shack where the controls were located. The guard in the shack, a wallaby, looked up from his magazine as Komo and the other guard walked over to the visitor door.

"Here ya go," the dingo said before opening the door. Komo nodded his head at the guard before walking through the door. Komo walked over to the truck, his tail swaying excitedly as he finally tasted the freedom he had been denied for ten years. Looking into the cab, Komo saw that the driver was a smaller Komodo Dragon.

Komo stared at the smaller dragon, who looked over at him. "Well? Are you getting in, or do you wanna go back to a cell?" the smaller and younger dragon asked him. Komo opened the door and got into the passenger seat, making sure that his tail was secure before shutting the door. "I don't think I'm familiar with you," Komo said. "I'm Atticus Sanford. I was one of your youngest pushers before you got sent to prison," the younger dragon said. He started the engine and pulled back onto the main road, driving away from the prison.

The ride was mostly silent for for first few minutes, until Komo decided to start asking questions. "So... what all happened while I was in prison? I haven't really paid much attention to the news for the past few years," Komo said. "How many years back?" Atticus asked him.

"I guess, what? Six or seven? After I heard about Arjun and the others... I just didn't bother to pay much attention anymore," Komo replied. "Oh. Then... you probably aren't going to like what I'm about to tell you," Atticus said. "I won't eat you, if that's what you're afraid of," Komo said. "No, it's not that, it's just... your estate was recently taken over," Atticus said.

Komo raised his eye lids in response. "Taken over? By whom?" Komo asked. "Our new boss," Atticus said solemnly. ""Our"?" Komo asked him. "Yeah. After Arjun died, things started falling apart. Nobody wanted to contact you in prison and risk giving the authorities a reason to extend your sentence," Atticus began. "How thoughtful," Komo remarked sardonically.

"And... Phoenix was in charge for a little while, but he doesn't have the financial and logistical know-how that you and Kalmius had. He couldn't keep things going," Atticus explained. "Okay, so who took over? Who's your new boss?" Komo asked impatiently. "This guy from India. He's a tiger, and he brought his whole crew down here with him. They killed half of us off and basically absorbed the survivors," Atticus explained, before pulling the truck over to the side of the road and parking it.

He opened up his shirt and showed Komo a large brand mark on his chest. "What in the name of Squamas?" Komo asked him. "We're his. Today is my day off, so Sakish doesn't care what I'm doing right now," Atticus explained. "You... allowed this cat to _brand you?_ " Komo asked, disgusted. "It was this or die. His head enforcer, Khali Sherakh, made certain of that," Atticus said sadly.

"What about our forces in Zootopia? Surely not all of them were captured or killed?" Komo asked the younger dragon. "We haven't heard from Nelson since Sakish took over. He's been laying low somewhere in Zootopia, along with Pam and the rest of the guys who managed to get on a boat in time," Atticus explained. "What happened to Phoenix? Is he still alive?" Komo asked him. "I think so. He faked his death a couple years ago, and he's been hiding out in Sygnalios with Felix since then," Atticus said.

"Felix? What happened to Felix? What happened to my crocodiles?" Komo asked him urgently. "The salties are dead. Sakish was impressed enough to keep their habitat intact, although he uses it as his own personal swimming pool now. Since Felix was never actually an underling, he didn't brand him, but... he did take one of his legs. Leiter has a prosthetic leg now. He made Felix lie about the salties taking it, but he'd never gotten that careless," Atticus said.

"Where is this Sakish right now?" Komo asked. "He's at your house. He's living there, along with his guards and harem," Atticus said. "His... harem?" Komo asked him. "Yeah. He isn't satisfied with one female alone," Atticus said. "Who _is?_ " Komo asked him. "Gay guys who pretend to be straight?" Atticus asked in response, earning a chuckle from Komo.

"So... I doubt that I will be welcomed back into my own house, but tell me... does Sakish have access to my financial data? My bank account?" Komo asked him. "Felix managed to lock all that stuff away and take it with him before his last day. But... that was for your savings account. Your checking account was drained completely by Sakish, and Felix had to pull a fast one to change the PIN for the entire bank account before Sakish could start draining your savings account," Atticus said.

"You're lucky that some of the bank tellers owed you favors," Atticus said. "Atticus, right?" Komo asked him. "Yeah?" the younger dragon asked. "Where is Felix living right now?" Komo asked him. "He's back at his old apartment in Sygnalios. Sakish never found it, but since Felix hasn't shown up since he took Felix's leg and killed the salties... he doesn't care either. He spends most of his time fishing down by a warf, though. I'll take you there first," Atticus said.

"Sakish doesn't care what we do on our days off, but that doesn't mean he won't have someone follow us at random," Atticus said. "Is he addicted to anything?" Komo asked the younger lizard. "Yeah. He has a coke addiction. Snorts nearly a fifth of every new batch that we make, and the prices we have to put on the shit are getting too high because of it," Atticus said.

"Anything else? What are his other vices? His weaknesses? Loved ones? Famly? Anything that can be used against him?" Komo asked darkly. "He loves only himself," Atticus said. "I see. He's very much like me in my youth, I suppose," Komo said, remembering when he behaved in a similar manner during his early years as a criminal.

"But... how old is this Sakish?" Komo asked. "He's in his forties at least," Atticus replied. "He's rather large, fat and muscle, but he's got a strong set of paws," Atticus continued. "Atticus... I've heard enough. Take me to see John and Felix," Komo said. "John?" Atticus asked him. "John Phoenix. You said that he's still alive, so let's go that wharf where Felix hangs out and I can meet up with him there," Komo said. Atticus nodded his head and took the truck out of park before driving back onto the road.

* * *

 **Sygnalios Harbor, Sygnalios, Capital of Reptaelia...**

Felix Leiter looked down at the water as he reeled his line back in before casting it out again, hoping to at least catch something other than a boot or a ripped-up hat. Reclining back in his chair, Felix adjusted the hat on his head and looked around at the various animals walking around him. There were rabbits, foxes, goannas, wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, dingoes, dholes, Tasmanian Devils, fruit bats, and various rodents who had entire communities in the cement portions of the fishing wharf's structural support.

Sitting next to him was a male dingo in his forties, named John Phoenix. Phoenix looked over at the entrance of the wharf and saw a large lizard, one he hadn't seen in over ten years. "No. It can't be," John whispered to himself as he got up and took off his sunglasses. The lizard took the hat off of his own head and tipped it at him before walking over with a smile. "K-Komo?" John Phoenix whispered in astonishment.

Komo walked over and put his hands on John's shoulders. "Johnny, my boy. How've you been lately?" Komo asked him with a grin as he pulled his former enforcer into a hug. "Y-You're really here? Komo... we thought you'd been put away for _life_ ," John whispered as the monitor let go of him. "No. Only ten years," Komo replied, shaking his head.

Felix shifted in his chair and looked over at them. "Hey, Johnny! I think I got a-Komo?" Felix asked in disbelief as he saw his old employer's face. "Is it really you?" Felix asked him. "In the flesh," Komo replied. "We thought we'd never see you again," John said to him.

"John... when was the last time you contacted Nelson or the others in Zootopia?" Komo asked him. "Two months ago. Nelson's been keeping things low-key since the incident on the Vera Alus. I think he's trying to go legitimate to save his own hide, in my own opinion," John said.

"I see. I've been gone long enough that he's had to make important decisions on his own, haven't I?" Komo asked him. "It would seem that way, Sir. We still make and receive shipments to and from Zootopia, but they're puny compared to what we were pushing before Arjun's death," John said as he walked over to the safety rail and leaned against it.

"Things just... they've gone to shit for the most part. We were doing okay when Rooter was still alive, and for a little while afterward, but then... I don't know what you've heard since you got out, but this big tiger from India heard about your absence and decided to take everything for himself," Phoenix explained. "I've heard that much," Komo said before turning his attention over to Felix.

"H-Hey, Mr. Domo," Felix said nervously. "What happened to your left leg?" Komo asked the kangaroo. "Oh, I... had an accident," Felix said wearily. "Like hell you did. Who cut it off?" Komo asked him darkly. "The new management," Felix said sourly. "The tiger, right? Sakish?" Komo asked him. "Yeah. How'd you know?" Felix asked him. "A young dragon named Atticus told me after he picked me up from the prison," Komo explained.

"Atticus? Where is he now?" Phoenix asked him. "He's over by one of those snack vendors getting something to eat," Komo said, pointing toward the part of the wharf where said dragon was eating a battered fish on a stick. "Did you see the mark?" Felix asked him. "Yes. How many bear it?" Komo asked Felix.

"Almost all of your people," Felix replied. Komo looked over at Phoenix. The dingo sighed and opened the buttons on his shit to show the brand on his chest. Komo felt rage begin to well up inside of him. "This tiger has taken my home, killed my pets, slaughtered my subordinates, and has even marked them as his own? This is unacceptable," Komo said in a dark tone, one that Phoenix was very familiar with.

"John... who is Sakish's head enforcer? Who works for him? What facilities has he taken from me?" Komo asked the dingo. "Sakish has taken all but one site here in Reptaelia. The only site still under control of those loyal to you is the Eastern Dock site, near Barnaby Village," John Phoenix replied.

"Do we have supplies located there?" Komo asked him. "Yes," Phoenix replied. "How many mercenary forces do we have left?" Komo asked him. "Not many. Most of us went back to McAllister after Sakish took over. However, some of us stayed for the money. I was one of them, and I learned the hard way how stupid that was," Phoenix said before he buttoned his shirt back up.

"And his enforcers? Who are they?" Komo asked him. "There's another tiger, arguably the more dangerous of the two, named Khali Sherakh. He's in top physical shape, unlike his boss, but he's not willing to do anything unless Sakish orders it. He's smarter than Sakish too, but then again so are half of the fish under the pier," Phoenix said.

"And... everyone who didn't die or leave for Zootopia is working for him, except the guys at the Eastern Dock near Barnaby Village. Although, I think Sakish might be catching on to their activities," Phoenix said worriedly. "Even if we take care of him, your empire has been crippled... permanently," Phoenix added.

"I have lost everything," Komo said with a sigh. "And those responsible will pay, but first... first I must deal with this... cat. Sakish. He loves drugs and females, correct?" Komo asked Phoenix. "Pretty much," Phoenix replied. Komo looked over at Atticus. "Atticus! Get ready to leave! We're going to Barnaby Village," Komo told the younger dragon.

"We are?" Atticus asked as he walked over to the trio. "Yes. Phoenix, you're coming with me. Felix... stay out of this. You are a house keeper. Your hands will remain clean," Komo said to the kangaroo. "Suits me. I wasn't gonna go with you anyway," Felix said. "Phoenix, find a way to contact our remaining forces and have them meet us at the Eastern Docks. Before tomorrow night is over, Sakish is going to learn exactly what happens when you steal from a dragon," Komo said in a very dark and vengeful tone.

"And besides... I haven't tasted blood in a while," Komo added with a wicked grin.

* * *

 **187 Beach View Lane, Outskirts of Sygnalia, Reptaelia**

Lounging back in his chair, Tolgeth Sakish sighed pleasurably as his escort rolled off of him and walked away. He purred at the sight of the lioness as she walked over to collect her towel, bending over to give him a view. "Keep giving me a show and I might have you come right back here for another ride," Sakish said sleazily.

He looked around at the other females who were milling about. His head enforcer, Khali Sherakh, entered the room. "Khali, what brings you in here?" Sakish asked him with a smile. Khali looked around the room at the various females with a smirk before turning his attention to his boss. "Well, I just came back to report the latest figures for our profits," Sherakh said with a smile. "It must be good if you came in person," Sakish said, returning Sherakh's smile.

"It is. Here," Sherakh said as he handed a folder to Sakish, who opened it and looked at the papers inside. "Very good, Sherakh. How should I reward you for this?" Sakish asked him, rubbing his chin and squinting his eyes. "Well..." Sherakh trailed off as he looked around the room at the various female felines, all of whom were scantily clad. "I don't suppose some time with a kitty would be out of the question?" Sherakh asked Sakish in a hopeful tone.

Sakish mulled Sherakh's request in his mind. "Hmm... I don't see why not. Take your pick of them. You may have at least two for the night," Sakish said. Sherakh looked over at the various females, including lionesses, leopards, cheetahs, and other tigers. He saw a lioness and a female leopard enjoying themselves with each other and smirked.

Sherakh pointed at them, causing Sakish to crane his neck. "Fine choices," Sakish said with a purr of appreciation. "Flora, Bella! This way," Sakish called out. The lioness and leopard quickly walked over to Sakish, bowing their heads and staying silent. "Reward Sherakh for his hard work. Take him to the large bath chamber and do not leave until morning," Sakish said, causing Sherakh to smile. "There's a toilet and washing sink in the chamber, along with the bath tub, and a mini-bar," Sakish said with a grin.

"For a lizard, the previous owner had excellent taste," Sherakh said. "Indeed!" Sakish agreed with a snicker. "Now go, enjoy yourself," Sakish said with a dismissive wave. Sherakh put his arms around both females and led them over to the bath chamber, closing the door behind them and leaving Sakish alone with the rest of his harem.

Sakish smiled in content as he read the papers again, until his phone rang. Raising an eyebrow, the portly tiger reached over and picked up the device. "Hello?" he asked after seeing the caller ID. " _Boss, we saw one of the dragons in the city today. We believe it was Atticus Sanford, and he was meeting with the kangaroo and a dingo at the Southern fishing wharf in Sygnalios. There was another dragon with him, a bigger one than any of the others we've encountered,_ " the subordinate said.

"A relative of his, perhaps?" Sakish asked. " _We do not know. What we do know is that the dragon knew Atticus's name and the fact that the dingo is that traitor, Phoenix. What do you want us to do?_ " the subordinate asked. Sakish became enraged. "The lizard dares to mingle with traitors? Capture him and his friend, and bring them to me. I will teach this young dragon a lesson in obeying his superiors. I have marked him, and he is mine now, along with all of the others," Sakish said.

" _Very well. Shall I contact Sherakh?_ " the subordinate asked him. "No. I have given him some time off. Find Vernoth instead. That bear can stand his own against a Komodo Dragon just fine," Sakish said with a cruel smile. " _Shall we bring them to you tonight, or should we wait until tomorrow morning?_ " the subordinate asked. "Tonight. I do not wish to be kept waiting," Sakish answered curtly.

 **Three Hours Later...**

Tolgeth Sakish looked up from his dinner plate as he saw the doors to the dining room open, and a bear and two wolves dragged a beaten ad bruised Atticus Sanford inside before throwing him to the floor. The lizard wheezed and coughed, looking up at the overweight tiger who was standing up and walking over to him. "Young Atticus, why did you betray me?" Sakish asked in an emotionless tone.

"Betray you? I was never loyal to you," Atticus replied. "You are supposed to be. You bear my claiming mark, as do all of those who chose to stay under my rule. You met with the traitor, John Phoenix, earlier today. You spoke with him, and in so doing, you have betrayed my trust," Sakish said with bitterness now seeping into his voice.

"Where is the other dragon?" Sakish asked his subordinates. "He wasn't with him when we entered the apartment. He must be staying with someone else," Dzu-Teh Vernoth, a large brown bear, said as he walked over to the injured dragon on the floor. Sakish returned his attention to Atticus, frowning at the reptile.

"Who is your friend?" Sakish asked him. Atticus smiled in response. "I think it should be obvious," Atticus said. Sakish raised an eyebrow. "If you will not talk, then I have o use for you," Sakish said with a sigh. "Make him an example for the others," Sakish said to Vernoth, who nodded his head in compliance before grabbing Atticus and dragging him out of the room.

* * *

Date: Thursday, October 12th, 2029

Komo Domo looked at himself in the mirror. His shirt was nicely pressed and buttoned, and his pants held properly, while his tail moved about freely. John Phoenix stood in the doorway of the bathroom. "You know, you could still go legitimate," Phoenix said. "I could... but first I must regain my home. I bought that house and paid for it in full. I had already fully owned it before I was sent to prison. It is rightfully mine," Komo replied firmly.

"You still have those references and letters of recommendation with you," Phoenix said. "Yes. I will give them a shot, just to maintain appearances," Komo replied. "You still plan on being involved in all of this?" Phoenix asked him curiously. "It is my empire. I cannot abandon it. Besides... this life is all that I know. I will never again be a corporate executive who rakes in millions of dollars each year, or anything close," Komo explained.

"I can never go back to that. No one will trust me. Besides, I can always become a fisher," Komo said. "I always did like going fishing when I was younger," he added. Phoenix nodded his head in understanding. "How do you plan on going in?" Phoenix asked Komo. "There are underground tunnels between the house and the beach, as well as various tool sheds near the roads. You know those sheds that have signs and posts near the road?" Komo asked him.

"Yeah, I've seen them," Phoenix replied. "Some of those have secret entrances to my underground tunnel system, and lead to the house," Komo said. "And after this is all done? What happens then?" Phoenix asked him. "I try my hand at those... references," Komo said reluctantly. "You don't expect them to work out, do you?" Phoenix asked him. "Not really, but I will still try. After all, I'll need a cover to make that my income and tax records look better," Komo replied.

"At least you already paid for your house in full, so that's one less thing to worry about," Phoenix said. "Yes, but first we must eliminate its recent pest problem," Komo said. "Just you and me?" Phoenix asked him. "You've kept in shape. And I had plenty of working out in prison," Komo said. "We aren't going to gather the others from Barnaby Village?" Phoenix asked him. "No. Just us. We've done these missions before, John. We can do another one," Komo said.

"We were younger then," Phoenix countered. "So? We are still strong, and still able-bodied. There is no reason to back down. Besides, that is _my home_ , that this tiger has taken, and I _will_ reclaim it. With or without your help, I am taking back what is rightfully mine," Komo snarled at the dingo. "Okay. I'll join you. I just wish we still had the others with us. Sylvester, Wilbur, Maulia, Zack, Arjun, Dominus, Darryl; I miss them. I miss them all, except Kalmius," Phoenix said. "Wilbur is still alive, John. He's just in prison," Komo said.

Phoenix snorted. "Yeah. He'll probably outlive everyone except Felix," Phoenix muttered. "Speaking of everyone, have you contacted Atticus yet?" Komo asked. "I haven't heard from him since last night. Besides, I don't communicate with the others on their work days. I'd rather not get them in trouble with Sakish. He's almost as vicious as you when he's angry, but he loses his temper much quicker," Phoenix said.

"Really? I wonder if I can exploit that," Komo said to himself. "He won't lift his own fingers not anymore. He makes his subordinates do all of the work for him. After taking over, he started getting hedonistic, and now the only thing he does himself is drive to his cover job and fuck his harem," Phoenix said. "Surely he must chew and swallow his own food?" Komo asked with a grin. "Of course he does that, he also sits on the toilet by himself and wipes his own ass as well," Phoenix replied. "Good for him. I guess that's one big difference," Komo said.

"You don't wipe your own ass?" Phoenix asked him humorously. "Very funny, jackass. I meant the fact that I always took things into my own hands when I needed to or was in a position to do so," Komo responded. "Then how come you never went to Zootopia to silence that white-throat?" Phoenix asked him. "Do you know how _stupid_ that would have been for me? A large reptile running around in a mammalian city like that? It would only confirm what the police suspected, and I'd have been arrested for certain," Komo explained.

"That's why you sent mammals instead," Phoenix said. "No shit. Did you somehow start regressing in terms of intelligence while I was in prison?" Komo asked the dingo. "No, I just... never gave much thought to those incidents before now. I was always busy on other assignments when you sent people to Zootopia," Phoenix explained. "Yes. Yes, you were," Komo said in agreement.

"I do have a ride coming to pick us up in an hour," Phoenix said. "I didn't see any weapons hidden in this apartment last night," Komo said. "I have a single Bearretta 92FS and a single PR65 with an attached suppressor. That's all I've got, and I have those locked up tight in a special location," Phoenix said. "What about your combat knife?" Komo asked him. "That I do have on me," Phoenix said as he opened his vest to reveal the knife in its holster. Komo nodded his head before walking over to the window and raising the blinds, watching the sun rise over the city of Sygnalios.

"I missed this," Komo whispered to himself. "You... missed the sunrise?" Phoenix asked him curiously. "Yes. You don't really get to watch the sun rising while you're in prison," Komo responded. "I see," Phoenix replied. "No. No, you don't," Komo whispered, shaking his head slightly. "So... I guess this will be your last few moments as an honest citizen before taking back your criminal empire, eh?" Phoenix asked him wryly.

"Yes. Let me bask in it alone for a little bit. This Komo you see before you is but a dream, a lizard who thought, for a few seconds, that he might want to change. But that dream will soon be over, and reality will take hold. I enjoy killing. I enjoy my criminal activities. It is the life I know, and I don't think I can ever truly leave it behind," Komo said.

"Just a minute ago, you were talking about giving those references a chance," Phoenix said. "Yes... as covers. Some people change, John, and some don't. The thing is, despite knowing how society views my actions... I _like_ who I am," Komo said with a wicked grin. "Whatever shines your teeth," Phoenix said with a shrug before he turned around and left the room.

* * *

 **Four Hours Later, Ten Miles Away From Domo's Mansion...**

Komo looked out at the dark clouds overhead as he stepped out of the jeep. "We're gonna get a storm soon," the owner of the jeep, a koala named Murdoch, said. "Yes, Murdoch. I know that much. Get the gang and the stuff together, and then get your tails over here. John and I should have most of the opposition taken care of by the time you arrive, but still bring the guns anyway," Komo said firmly.

"Of course. And, sir? It's nice to see you again," Murdoch said. "You're only saying that so I don't eat you," Komo said. "So?" Murdoch responded. Komo chuckled in response. "Well, I don't want to put this off. So, get going, and make sure that Atkins remembers the sound suppressors on the guns," Komo said before closing the door. He checked his SMG to make sure that the safety was on, before motioning for Phoenix to follow him as he made his way over to the nearest tool shed. Murdoch made a U-Turn and drove off into the distance.

Opening the door of the shed, Komo stepped inside and walked over to the back wall, with Phoenix following him quietly. Komo knocked on the wall in several areas, before finding the lock and undoing it. "I thought this shed looked bigger on the outside," Phoenix said as he saw Komo open a trick door. "Speak now, or forever stay your tongue, John. We need to be silent once we enter the tunnels, speaking only wen necessary," Komo said as he pushed through the opening and walked into a small room, leaning over to lift the cover off of a large hole.

"There's a ladder in here," Komo said. Phoenix walked over to the hole and jumped up and down to make sure that his gear was secure before climbing down into the hole, followed quickly by Komo himself, who closed the hatch and took out a flashlight. "How good is your night vision?" Komo asked the dingo. "Decent, but not great. We should have brought one of those foxes with us," Phoenix said.

Komo quickly passed Phoenix and motioned for the dingo to follow him. "Just follow me," Komo said quietly before prssing forward again. The journey through the tunnels was mostly quiet, with Domo and Phoenix silently making their way through various interconnecting tunnels for thirty minutes before finally nearing a door. " _I thought you said these tunnels were underground?_ " Phoenix asked Komo in a whisper.

" _This door leads to a small room connected to the enclosure for my crocodiles. My pets... I'll tear that tiger's heart out for killing them,_ " Komo whispered back. Phoenix nodded his head before taking out his PR65 SMG and turning off the safety, setting the select-fire option to semi-automatic mode. " _Let's move,_ " Phoenix whispered after Komo did the same for his own gun.

Komo quietly and delicately opened the door before urging for Phoenix to enter the room in front of him. Komo then entered behind him and quietly closed the door. Walking over to the wall in front of them, Komo looked through the small peep-holes to see what had been done to the room in his absence. _They've kept it mostly intact. That means the false rocks are still in place,_ Komo thought to himself before silently reaching down and grabbing the handle for the door, turning it and quietly opening the door to the former crocodile enclosure.

Quietly stepping out onto the grass and dirt that covered the floor, Komo looked around, seeing that the crocodile pool had been turned into a large swimming pool, with pool toys and raft-chairs floating in and on the water. A small diving board had been added to one end, along with a small metal ladder. _My salties... I will avenge you, my pets._

Komo motioned for Phoenix to slip out of the room before he quietly closed the false-wall door half-way. Carefully, the duo made their way over to the spiral stair case that hugged the wall of the room, quietly crawling up the stairs before reaching the first landing. _They removed the safety gates as well. Idiots,_ Komo thought to himself as he looked around the balcony were lounging chairs were sitting.

He looked at the door underneath the balcony that was above them and walked over to it, opening the door to see if the coolers and freezers for his crocodiles' food had been left intact. They had, in fact, been left alone. There was still chicken and ostrich meat frozen and refrigerated on shelves and racks inside the coolers that lined the room. He opened another door and saw various frozen treats lining the shelves. "Ice cream... milk... what a waste," Komo said with a frown as he closed the doors of each freezer and fridge.

He then noticed a small box in the corner of the room. Walking over to it, he opened it to see that it contained some of Felix's old diving gear. "They kept this? Why?" Komo asked himself curiously. He then looked over and saw another box near the back door of the room. Walking over to it, Komo opened the lid, only to close it with a frown on his face after seeing all of the feline sex toys inside. "What is it with mammals and the color pink?" Komo asked himself as he walked away from the box.

Stopping in his tracks, he quickly opened one of the fridges and pulled out a raw chicken leg quarter, biting down and rending the flesh from the bone as he quietly ate his snack. Phoenix watched him uneasily. When he finished, Komo walked over to the box of sex toys, opened it up, and deposited the bloodied chicken bones inside. He then walked back over to where Phoenix was standing, slowly licking the blood off of his claws and hands.

"I... I won't ask," Phoenix said, shaking his head before turning around. "Dragons can eat raw flesh without getting sick, so long as it isn't rotten," Komo said. "I knew that much, I was just wondering about that... box back there," Phoenix said. "Oh, that? Just the sex toys of Sakish's harem," Komo said with a smile, until he noticed a familiar scent in the room. Walking back over to one of the fridges, Komo opened it and looked down at the bottom rack, where a large black bag was laying. He'd ignored it earlier, but now he was curious.

Kneeling down, Komo reached for the zipper and pulled it open, revealing the shivering and beaten form of Atticus Sanford. "Atticus!?" Komo asked quietly, before ushering Phoenix over to his side. "That's the kid from yesterday, right?" Phoenix asked him. "Atticus, what happened?" Komo asked the young dragon.

Atticus sluggishly opened his eyes and looked at Komo. "Atticus?" Komo asked the younger dragon. "They... learned I... talked with... Phoenix," Atticus said sluggishly, before closing his eyes and resting his head. Phoenix frowned upon hearing the news. "They did this to him... because of me," he muttered. "John, help me get him out of this thing," Komo said.

Phoenix nodded his head and kneeled down, grabbing one end of the bag and heaving back with Komo to pull Atticus out of the fridge and onto the floor. "Get something to warm him up," Komo said to Phoenix. Phoenix quickly made his way over to the back of the room and grabbed the open box with Felix's diving gear. "There should be something to keep him insulated in here," Phoenix said in a hushed tone as he dug through the box.

He soon found a thermal gel pack and an insulation vest. He quickly rubbed his paws against the vest and the gel pack to heat them up before placing the gel pack on Atticus and draping the vest over him. "Couldn't you find anything else? What about that insulation suit?" Komo asked him. "The insulation _suit_ was made for mammals, not reptiles," Phoenix countered.

"Put yourself against him," Komo ordered the dingo. "What?" Phoenix asked him. "Your body has a stable temperature. Put yourself against him," Komo ordered firmly. "But my gear-" "Do it, John," Komo said. Phoenix let out a sigh before taking off his gear and crawling over next to Atticus, laying himself against the cold monitor lizard. "This is going to take time away from our mission," Phoenix said quietly.

"Atticus is in this mess because I wanted to meet with you. We owe him," Komo said. "We? None of these people know who _you_ are, Komo. I'm the one they recognized," Phoenix countered. "If I hadn't asked him to take me to you, then he wouldn't have been seen with you, so we both bear responsibility," Komo retorted quietly.

Thirty minutes passed by, and Atticus's condition did not show any signs of improving. "Komo... he's not breathing," Phoenix said as he placed his ear near Atticus's mouth. "He's dead, Komo," Phoenix said mournfully as he slowly pulled himself away from the young dragon's body. He slowly grabbed his gear and put it back on, checking for any loose equipment that could make noise.

"Put him back in the bag, but leave his head out. I don't want to forget," Komo said bitterly as he flicked his tongue out. He looked down at his claws, which, despite being filed while in prison, were still sharp enough to do what he needed. "John, have you ever played ' _Skin the Cat_ '?" Komo asked his subordinate. "No, sir," Phoenix replied. "Well, I _have_ ," Komo said with a cruel smile on his face. "Let's move," he said.

The middle-aged dingo and 57 year-old Komodo Dragon then quickly made their way out of the room, closing the door before quietly making their way back up the stairs. The duo stopped as they slowly lifted their heads up above the final steps to check the coast, looking side to side and up and down before carefully pulling themselves up onto the floor. Komo quietly turned off his flashlight before stowing it in his vest.

Komo then grabbed his gun and slowly made his way over to the balcony where he had once thrown a disloyal money launderer overboard as a treat for his crocodiles. The duo silently made their way over to the doors of the room, where they stopped and leaned against them, listening for sounds beyond the doors. Phoenix carefully unlocked the door and slowly pulled it open, inch by inch, before making a crack wide enough for him to look through.

He scanned the room for any sign of movement, seeing no one inside the chamber. " _Looks clear_ ," Phoenix whispered to Komo. Komo nodded his head before Phoenix slowly pushed the door open, keeping his PR65 held firmly in one paw, helped by a shoulder-strap. Phoenix and Domo soon entered the room, keeping their guns at the ready as they slowly closed the door behind them and quietly crept through the large chamber.

Phoenix sniffed the air and frowned, while Komo flicked his tongue out in addition to sniffing the air. He let out a quiet hiss before slowly treading over several rugs and futons on the floor, before they soon made their way over to a hallway. " _Dining room is that way, and the study hall is on the right. It's near my personal quarters, connected to my bath chamber,_ " Komo whispered.

The duo quietly made their way through the hall as they stopped near a door that was slightly ajar. Peeking into the crack, Komo saw eight female felines of various species sleeping on futons in various states of dress. A distant clap of thunder from outside the house, caused Komo and John to turn their heads. They looked each other in the eye before nodding their heads and slowly closing the door.

They then proceeded to make their way through the hallway and over to the study. Upon opening the door, a strong scent hit both animals' nostrils. There were bags and boxes of drugs lining up the room. " _Shit, it's no wonder the fucker is addicted to this. Oh hell, they've got fucking Opium,_ " Phoenix whispered as he saw the label on one of the bags.

" _Close the door,_ " Komo whispered. The dingo did as he was told. Making their way forward again, the duo soon found themselves near the door to Komo's personal quarters. As soon as they opened the door, they were both hit with another strong scent, as well as sounds from within. " _He's turned my quarters into his personal fuck room_ ," Komo whispered bitterly. " _And you never fucked Pam in your quarters?_ " Phoenix asked him. " _Well, yes, but not to the extent that the room reeked like this. I at least aired it out,_ " Komo whispered in response.

Opening the door a bit further, both animals watched as Sakish was pleasured by two young leopards, both of whom were just above the age of consent. Sakish's eyes were closed as the two females licked and sucked at him, but when they stopped, his eyes opened. "You two had better be changing positions," Sakish growled as he opened his eyes and glared at the two females kneeling before him.

"So... you're Tolgeth Sakish?" Komo asked the tiger, who quickly raised his head and glared at him. "Who are you? Why are you in my home?" Sakish asked coldly. "Your home? I think you mean _my home_ ," Komo retorted. "No, this is my home," Sakish said. "Wrong. I paid for it. It's mine, Sakish. You have _no idea_ who I am, do you?" Komo asked him as he took heavy steps forward, his tail swaying in agitation as he made his way over to the portly tiger.

"Kitties leave," Komo growled at the two leopardesses. They both gulped and slowly crawled away. "Stay quiet," Komo hissed at both of them, "and get yourselves dressed." He then looked back at Sakish. "Who do you think you are!?" Sakish roared at him. "I... am Komo Domo, _motherfucker_. And this is my house. I want you out," Komo said coldly.

"Komo Domo? That bastard is in prison! You're just a wannabe who wishes to intimidate me," Sakish said. "I see. We have to do this the hard way," Komo said before lunging forward and biting down on Sakish's neck, causing the tiger and the leopards to gasp. Komo sank his teeth in and held his jaws in place as the tiger scratched at him with his pawerful paws and claws. Komo closed his eyes, letting the claws rake over his armor-like hide before he let go.

The leopards looked at where Sakish had tried to scratch Komo. "Not a scar," one of them whispered. "Dragon skin; it's like armor," Phoenix said. "Y-You!" Sakish growled as he saw the dingo. "Me," Phoenix said as he pointed his own thumb at himself. "Y-You will rue this day!" Sakish spat. "Oh, I don't think so," Komo said, before the door to the room opened and two guards rushed in. Phoenix quickly opened fire at them, taking them by surprise.

Two more guards rushed into the room, one of them ducking and lunging at Phoenix, while the other leapt at Komo, who quickly curled his tail and then swiped it at the tiger, knocking him to the ground. Komo then raised his tail and brought it down, smacking the tiger's back with the sound of a thunder bolt, cracking his spine.

Komo then spun around and whipped his tail at Sakish's midsection, knocking the wind out of him. Soon, the doors opened again, and this time a bear entered the room, followed by two wolves. "Mister Sakish!" one of the wolves yelled in concern as he lunged at Komo. Komo quickly grabbed the wolf and grappled with him before biting down on his neck, holding him in place, and snapping his mouth, breaking the wolf's neck and dropping him to the floor.

The bear then ran over, tackling Komo to the floor. Vernoth tried biting down on Komo, only for the dragon to whip the tip of his tail at the bear's face, allowing him to dislodge himself from the bear's grip before retrieving his gun. Komo quickly spun around and smacked his tail into the bear's legs, causing him to kneel over. Vernoth quickly moved forward on all fours, only for Komo to whip his tail around and smack him in the head with it, cracking his neck and sending him tumbling over onto his side.

The other wolf let out a battle cry before lunging forward, only for Komo to spin around and smack him against the wall with his tail. The wolf let out a pained whine before Komo brought his tail back and smacked him again. "Now, do you see what happens, Sakish? Do you see what happens when you steal someone's home? This is what happens," Komo said.

The door to the bath chamber quickly opened, and a large tiger stepped out. "Mr. Sakish, I-who the hell are you?" Sherakh asked Komo. "I'm Komo Domo," Komo replied with a grin. Sherakh's eyes widened and he stepped back. "Oh shit," Sherakh muttered. "Don't believe him!" Sakish cried. "He bit me! Kill him!" Sakish added.

"You have stolen my home, killed my subordinates, murdered my _pets_ , and have branded my other subordinates as your own!" Komo roared at the tiger, just as a loud gasp of pain erupted from the tiger that had tackled Phoenix. Sherakh looked over Komo's shoulders to see Phoenix stabbing a combat knife through the tiger's chest.

"Sherakh, call for help!" Sakish whined. Sherakh looked between Komo and his current boss, mentally weighing the pros and cons of who would be better. With a cruel smile on his face, Sherakh shook his head. "I'm so very sorry, Sakish, but it would seem that there is no way help would arrive in time for us," Sherakh said with a chuckle.

"Sh-Sherakh? What are you saying? What are you doing!?" Sakish asked him. "I am... surviving," Sherakh said as he stepped around his boss's bed and walked over to Phoenix's side, offering him a paw to help him up. Phoenix eyed him warily. Komo looked at the younger tiger with disdain. "No loyalty? Is that a personal choice, or a result of bad management?" Komo asked Sherakh.

"Yes," Sherakh replied mathematically. "Phoenix, keep an eye on him. Those of you with weak stomachs, leave the room. I'm very hungry," Komo said darkly as he eyed the tired form of Sakish, who was looking at Komo quizzically. "W-What does that mean?" Sakish asked him.

"It means, Sakish, that you're about to learn just _why_ I was once Reptaelia's most feared crime boss," Komo said with a chuckle as he leaned forward. "Time for lunch," Komo said as he heard Phoenix open the doors of the room and usher the two leopards out. The one wounded wolf watched in horror and bile fascination as Komo opened his mouth and darted forward.

Sakish's screams of terror soon filled the room, and the wounded wolf began slowly crawling away from the gruesome scene. He listened to Sakish's blood-curdling screams as he was literally eaten alive by Komo Domo. The wolf had just made it to the door when the the screams turned into strangled cries and gurgles. The wolf took one look back, seeing only Komo's back as he tore into Sakish, whose mouth was open in a raspy and hoarse cry as his eyes glazed over.

The wolf quickly pulled himself out of the room and into the hallway as the smell of blood filled the air. He quickly pulled himself over to the wall and leaned against it before leaning forward and vomiting onto the floor. "It's not a pretty sight, is it?" Phoenix asked him with a smirk.

"So... what'll it be? New management, or a trip back home?" Phoenix asked everyone in the hallway. "I believe I can work with this," Sherakh said calmly. "You aren't put off by... that?" Phoenix asked him. "No, not really," the deep-voiced tiger replied. "I certainly don't enjoy the sight, but... I don't view it as an obstacle to employment," Sherakh said.

Phoenix raised his SMG and pointed it at Sherakh. "What makes you think that you'll even have a place here after today?" the dingo asked the tiger. "Good question. I guess we'll have to find out," Sherakh replied before Komo exited the room, blood staining his mouth. "There's a lot of fat on that one. Still better than prsion food, though. Make sure to store him in one of the freezers," Komo said to Phoenix. "No, actually... have him do it," Komo said as he looked at Sherakh.

Sherakh's eyes widened. "I hope you don't mind getting a little dirty," Komo said to the tiger. "No, not at all... Boss," Sherakh replied. Komo stared at him, studying him, before finally shrugging his shoulders. "Just don't try to fuck me over, Sherakh. Or you'll meet the same fate as Sakish," Komo said darkly. "Y-Yes. Of course," Sherakh said, shaken.

Komo looked at Phoenix as the sound of doors opening drew their attention. Several of Komo's loyal subordinates rushed into the house and into the hallway. Komo held his hands out to them. "At ease!" he shouted, causing everyone to halt. "Sakish is dead. And I... am back. And this time... it's for good," Komo said with a smirk. "Let's get this place cleaned up. I have a long week ahead of me, and in about a year from now... I have one more target to take care of," he said.

"Another target?" Phoenix asked him. "Yes. If it weren't for Arjun's death, none of this would have happened. There are two animals in particular who bear responsibility for this travesty. Two of whom, are indirectly responsible for me going to prison, and directly responsible for Arjun's death and the crippling of my empire. When we are back to proper strength, we will find them, and I will personally see to it that they suffer for all that I have lost. My friends, home, pets, fortune... because of them, I lost it all. For that, and for the deaths of our comrades... they will suffer," Komo said darkly, as he thought about the fox and bunny cops who lived in Zootopia.

 _Judy Hopps and Nicholas Wilde. I'll be coming after you, and nothing will protect you from my wrath. Even if it kills me, I will avenge my friends, pets, and subordinates who have died because of you. I will have my revenge, and your precious Zootopia will become a sea of fire._

* * *

Author's Notes: And here's the second chapter. Also, MOOD WHIPLASH! The first chapter was cute and emotional. This chapter was dark and epic. I actually wanted this to feel like a character journey from ancient mythology. I didn't reference any stories in particular, but I did want to create that feeling. Whether I succeeded or not depends entirely on you, the readers. And, no, he's not a heroic figure. Despite his "Hero's Journey," Komo is still a villain. I just wanted to give him a bit more depth. And, yes, John Phoenix's _name_ is a reference to the characters of John Spartan and Simon Phoenix from Demolition Man (1993). I love that movie.

So, anyway, Komo Domo is back, and we have some new players as well. Please Let me know what you think of the chapter in your reviews.


	3. Obligatory Family Stuff

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

And, sorry for the delay, but I've been facing... _**Writer's Block**_. Tis a fearsome beast. Also, a thought just occurred to me... how does cheese exist in Zootopia? I mean, the animals that we humans use for cheese (cows, goats, etc) are sentient in the Zootopia verse and thus not farmed for the production of dairy products, so... I mean, I can get them having milk made from soy or almonds or coconuts or whatever, but cheese requires _animal milk_ , right? If I'm wrong, then someone please tell me what the alternate sources are, because this little nitpick is really bugging me.

Also, Komo Domo is partially inspired by the character of Sykes from Oliver & Company (1988), and as such his voice is the same as that character's. John Phoenix has the voice of 1980's Mad Max era Mel Gibson, Sherakh has the voice of original animated Shere Khan from the first adaptation of The Jungle Book (1967), Roger Gibson has the voice of... Lethal Weapon era Mel Gibson, and Cynthia Furrero has the voice of... Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. These are the voices I imagine the characters having when I write their dialogue. When I wrote Sylvester's dialogue in The Scales of Fear, I imagined him with the voice of Hugh Jackman.

* * *

 **Chapter 03: Obligatory Family Stuff**

* * *

Date: Wednesday, November 25th, 2029

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central**

Nick Wilde looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand next to his and Judy's bed, slapping his paw onto it to turn off the horrid beeping produced by the evil machine. "Hey... Carrots?" Nick asked his wife groggily. "Mm?" Judy replied sleepily. "Do we... uh... uh... do... uh... we have... vacation time?" Nick finally asked her after clearing his mind enough to process thoughts properly.

"Mm-Hmm. Cleared it with Bogo a month ago," Judy replied. "We have off... today?" Nick asked his wife tiredly. "Mm-hm," Judy replied as she snuggled up to him. "Sweet," he replied sleepily, his twitching as he noticed the sound of the bedroom door creaking open. "Oh hell," Nick muttered, seconds before Vicky and Ben hopped onto the bed and crawled up between him and Judy. "No... no, you guys have to sleep in your own beds," Nick complained groggily as Vicky and Ben hugged their parents.

"Are we going to Nanna Claire's house today?" Vicky asked excitedly. "Tomorrow," Nick replied sleepily. "Now go back to bed," he told his children. "But it's seven in the morning!" Vicky protested. "Exactly," Nick said with a yawn. "Go back to bed. Let Mommy and Daddy sleep," Nick said with a whine, causing Judy to giggle sleepily.

"But we still have Kindergarten today!" Vicky whined. "You guys need to drive us to kindergarten!" she whined some more. "Aw, really?" Ben asked, not wanting to go to school the day before a holiday. "Tomorrow is Thankful Day! We shouldn't have to go to school today," Ben whined. "Okay... we'll drive you to school," Nick said as he pushed himself up and looked at his son and daughter. "You could pretend that we don't have to go," Ben suggested with a smile.

"Sorry, but if you have to go, then you have to go," Nick said as he got himself out of bed and slowly walked over to the bedroom door. He made his way over to the upstairs bathroom and got himself cleaned up. Meanwhile, Judy was slowly waking up as well, slowly sitting up before rubbing her eyes and looking at her two hybrid offspring on the bed.

"Mom, are we gonna go see Nana Claire tomorrow?" Ben asked excitedly. "Sure, Sweetie," Judy said with a tired smile. "Yay!" Ben and Victoria squealed in unison.

* * *

 **At A UNI-World Shipping Site In The Canal District...**

Nelson Brookes was eating an ostrich sandwich when he felt his phone vibrate. Sighing in annoyance, he pulled out his phone and looked at the caller ID. "International... from Reptaelia? I'd better not get charged for this," he muttered under his breath before pressing the TALK button on the phone.

"Hello?" Nelson asked in annoyanced. " _Nelson Brookes?_ " asked a gruff voice. "Who is this?" Nelson asked. " _Now, Nelson, is that any way to speak to your old boss?_ " the voice on the other end asked, causing Nelson to drop his sandwich on his plate after recognition kicked in. "K-Komo?" Nelson asked in shock.

" _Right on the money,_ " Komo replied. "Komo, you're out already?" Nelson asked in surprise. " _Yes, and what a mess things became. I leave home for a decade, and look what happens. Nelson, I have some questions to ask you,_ " Komo said. "If you want a position in the company, the only thing available is something low level. Menial labor," Nelson said.

Komo laughed on the other end. " _Not what I was going to ask about, but I'll keep that in mind,_ " Komo replied heartily. " _No, what I want to ask you about was... Tolgeth Sakish, and Arjun's death,_ " Komo said. "Komo, you're making an international call. After a certain number of minutes, I'm going to get a big fucking bill for this," Nelson snapped.

" _Do you still have your old e-mail address? Do you have a laptop or a computer that isn't connected to a company server?_ " Komo asked him. "Yeah. Yeah, I still have that laptop but I had to switch to a Zoo-Mail E-Mail address about three years ago. I'm practically a citizen at this point, even got the papers signed and everything," Nelson said. " _Good for you. Anyway, Let me grab something to write with. Okay, what's the e-mail address?_ " Komo asked him.

"SirBrooke at Zoo-Mail dot com," Nelson replied. "That's one capital S and one capital B, with no space between the Sir and Brooke," Nelson added. " _Thank you. I'll send you an e-mail with my questions shortly,_ " Komo said. "Uh, Komo, what all do you already know about Sakish?" Nelson asked him.

" _He lasted a week stuffed in a cooler before I finished what I'd started. He's already taken care of, Nelson. Sherakh is already following my orders, and I will have Phoenix making a short trip over to Zootopia before the end of next month on a recon mission. Anyway, I've heard you've been trying to go legit in my absence,_ " Komo said. "Well... After the incident with Arjun, we had to severe as many ties as possible to keep ourselves afloat. That meant foregoing a lot of... activities that would be frowned upon by the local authorities. I had to do what was necessary to keep the Zootopia branch of UNI-World from collapsing after Arjun's death," Nelson replied.

" _I expect a more detailed report in an e-mail later. Take care, and Nelson? Tell Pam hello for me,_ " Komo said. "I'll certainly do that, Sir. I'm glad you're in good health. Bye," Nelson said before hanging up his phone. "Not again," he muttered to himself as he remembered the gang war between Arjun Rooter, Terrence Sharpo, and Mr. Big. "If you fuck up the stability I've achieved, Komo... I ain't gonna keep quiet for ya," Nelson muttered. "I'll sing like a fucking canary."

* * *

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central, Later...**

Nick collapsed onto Judy after letting out a final gasp, quickly curling his limbs and tail around her as they lay on the bed. "It's been too long," Judy whispered with a pleasured sigh. "Are you... sated, at least?" Nick asked her tiredly. "Yeah. We haven't had a marathon like that... for a while," Judy said with a smile. "Kind of difficult when you've got two rambunctious little hellspawn running around and begging to sleep in your bed at night," Nick replied with a yawn.

"Don't forget where they came from," Judy responded with a smirk. "Mm, I won't forget. The blackest pits of hell," Nick said with a smirk. "Nick!" Judy admonished him with a smile. "What?" he asked her in response. "You know... I kind of missed the old you for a while," Judy said. "The... old me?" Nick asked her.

"Yeah. After... what happened with Lisker, you seemed a little bit more serious around people, and then, after the mercenaries started showing up... it was like your old self had just disappeared," Judy said as she tilted her head back to look at her husband. "Well... considering what we went through... did you expect me to remain completely unchanged?" Nick asked her.

"Well, not exactly, but... your smart-ass comments and suave slick attitude; I missed those," Judy admitted. "Well, I guess being able to spend almost seven or years without going through a horrible near-death experience can make it easier to relax," Nick said. "True," Judy said in agreement. "So... last night, you mentioned something about a text from Fru Fru?" Nick asked his wife.

"Oh, yeah. She said that she's spending the holiday with her husband's family. They'll be eating at Koslov's place," Judy said. "Oh, is that all?" Nick asked her. "Pretty much," Judy replied. "You know, I'm actually kind of amazed that you two are still friends after all these years," Nick said. "What makes you say that?" Judy asked him.

"Well, considering that we sort of... sent her father to prison, I'd expect her to be a bit more hostile to us," Nick said. "She's just... more forgiving than her father," Judy said. "Besides, she knows that what he did was wrong, and it's not like she's taken over the reins for her father," Judy added. "So, who _did_ take over for Mr. Big after he was sentenced?" Nick asked her.

"I don't know. And personally, I'd rather not use Fru Fru for information like that. It just... doesn't seem right, not after everything that's happened," Judy replied. "Mm-hm," Nick mumbled in response. "So... any idea what the menu is for tomorrow?" Judy asked her husband. "Don't know. We'll have to ask my mom what she's cooking," Nick said. "I think we should bring something along this year," Judy said.

"Like what?" he asked her curiously. "Well... maybe a pie, or-" "Not on your own," Nick interjected. "Oh, come on, Nick! I haven't destroyed the stove or burnt down the house since we've been living here," Judy protested. "Carrots, I'm well aware of that. But, no. My real point is that if you're alone, then the kids are going to be able to team up and distract you so that they can steal the ingredients from the kitchen. You need my eyes so that you can actually bake something in its entirety," Nick said with a smile and a chuckle.

"You're so full of shit," Judy said with a grin. "You know you love me," Nick said. "Do I know that? Yes. Yes, I do," Judy said in response as she tilted her head back to kiss her husband as he spooned against her. "How much longer until we can get up?" Judy asked him. "Maybe another twenty minutes," Nick said.

* * *

Date: Thursday, November 26th, 2029

"Now, remember kids, Nana Claire may be old, but she is still swift. Don't misbehave around her, or she'll catch you," Judy warned her offspring as they walked up to the front door of Claire Wilde's apartment, carrying a cooler and some baskets of food with them. Nick pressed the button for the door bell. After a minute, the door opened, and Nick's mother revealed herself. "Nana!" Ben and Victoria cried out happily as Claire smiled down at them.

"Benny, Vicky!" Claire said with a smile. "Come on in," she said, ushering the two young hybrids into the apartment. Claire looked over at where Nick and Judy's car was parked along the sidewalk. "Is there anything else in the car? Do you need help with that?" she asked her son and daughter-in-law as they walked into the apartment.

"Not really, but we appreciate the offer," Nick said as he carried the cooler into the kitchen and set it down. "Mm, I smell... turkey," Nick said with a grin. Judy shook her head. Ben and Vicky had already made their way over to the couch and had turned on the TV. "Hey guys, don't get sucked into that thing. We'll be eating lunch in just an hour," Nick said to his children. "Okay," the two kids replied grumpily.

"So, what all do you expect to be taking back home with you?" Claire asked Nick and Judy after she made her way back over to the kitchen. "Well, definitely some of that green bean casserole," Nick said with a grin. "And you think I remembered to make it this year?" Claire asked him with a sly grin. "Mom, you make it _every year_. This one is no different," Nick retorted cockily. "You're right," Claire said.

"Um, we also brought some stuff of our own to share," Judy said as she placed the baskets of food on the table, including the vegetarian lasagna that she almost always made when visiting her mother-in-law. "Hm. I guess there'll be plenty of leftovers, won't there? I made some of that myself," Claire said. "Oh? Do you still want the one that I made?" Judy asked her.

"Of course, Judy," Claire said. "Say, can we take some of your cooking down with us the next time we go to Bunnyburrow?" Judy asked her. "Well, sure. But why?" Claire asked Judy curiously. "I just wanna see how my family would like it," Judy explained. "Just make sure to tell them who made it _after_ they've swallowed. Remember last year, when I made that vegetable pizza?" Nick asked her with a grimace.

"The kids ate it," Judy pointed out. "Please, they'll eat anything," Nick retorted. "Well, at least none of the food will go to waste," Claire said. "Yeah, speaking of which, what all are we having this year?" Nick asked his mother. "Well, I made a vegetarian lasagna, green bean casserole, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and some gravy," Claire said. "Don't worry, Judy; I made the gravy from vegetable stock. We'll also be having some carrots and a salad that I made for you," the vixen said warmly.

"Thank you," Judy said appreciatively. "Now, where are those kids?" Claire asked as she saw the two hybrids sitting on the couch. She quickly made her way over to them and opened her arms to engulf them in a hug. "Ooohh! How have my grandkits been doing lately?" Claire asked them as she planted kisses on each of their foreheads. "We've been fine, Nana Claire," Vicky replied.

"Really? That's good. Tell me; how's school going?" Claire asked them. "It's okay," Ben replied with a shrug. "Are you two getting along with the other children?" Claire asked them. "Most of them," Victoria replied. "That's good to hear," Claire replied with a smile. "So, what all did you guys do in school this week?"

* * *

 **Zootopia Maximum Security Prison # 01, the Meadowlands**

Milton Lisker looked down at his plate of food. "Hn," he murmured before walking over to the table where he and Furmington Benezio usually sat. Sitting down next to the tiger, the wolf silently began eating his meal, which was slightly different from the usual fare. "Turkey, bread, and green beans," Benezio said as he looked over at his former boss's plate. "Mm-hm," Lisker said before skewering the beans with his fork and taking it into his mouth.

"Well, they're healthy," Benezio said before eating his own. Lisker looked up at the cafeteria TV, which was showing the news, and silently chewed his food. "Stale," he said. "Huh?" Benezio asked him. "They're stale," Lisker said, referring to the beans. "Of course they are, Milt. What did you expect?" Benezio responded.

"Nothing much, really. I didn't even think they'd actually give us a holiday meal," Lisker replied in a melancholy tone. "You feelin' okay?" Benezio asked him. "Not really. I haven't exactly felt _great_ for nearly twelve years," Lisker replied solemnly. "Well, today _is_ Thankful Day. So, what are you thankful for?" Benezio asked him.

Lisker glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know. I guess I'm thankful to be alive," Lisker replied softly. "Same here," Benezio said with a more upbeat attitude than Lisker, at least in comparison. "You know... I used to be okay with this," Lisker said suddenly.

"I used to be okay with eating quietly and getting terrible food. I used to think that it's what I deserved," he continued. Benezio watched him out of the corner of his eye. "But, after a while... I don't know. I guess I just don't really know what to think anymore. Part of me hates it here, but another part of me knows that I earned being here because of what we did. Because of what _I did_ ," he said solemnly. "I think you're going through depression," Benezio said. "Eh, maybe," Lisker replied with a shrug of his shoulders before he resumed eating.

Benezio studied his former boss for a few seconds before returning his attention to his food.

* * *

Date: Friday, December 13th, 2029

 **Zootopia Pan-Continental Airport**

John Phoenix smiled as he stepped through the metal detector without a hitch before grabbing his belongings from the conveyor belt next to it. "Thank you for cooperating, sir," the female hippo security officer said. " _Attention, the red zone is for loading and unloading of passengers only. Thank you._ " "You're welcome, mate. Have a pleasant day," Phoenix said with a smile to the security officer before walking over to the luggage collection and grabbing his suitcase.

Looking around the main terminal, which had blue lights throughout it, Phoenix calmly made his way over to the departure zone. " _No, the_ _ **white**_ _ **zone**_ _is for the loading and unloading of passengers only, NOT the red zone. End of discussion, Larry._ " Phoenix paused for a second, before continuing on his way to the exit. After another minute of walking, he came upon a water monitor sitting on a bench.

The monitor got up and walked over to him. "Nelson," Phoenix said. "Phoenix," Nelson replied with a nod of his head. "You look older," Nelson said as he sized up Phoenix. "I _am_ older," Phoenix replied. "You look like you've kept in shape," Nelson added. "For the most part," Phoenix replied as they started walking side-by-side out of the airport terminal.

"So, where are we headin' first?" Phoenix asked the lizard. "We'll be going to see Sal. He still has a few things from Arjun's final visit locked away in one of his bunkers," Nelson replied. "Any items that belonged to Sylvester or Maulia?" Phoenix asked him. "Well... there _is_ one particular item that's been collecting dust for a while now," Nelson said.

"Oh really? Care to tell me what it is?" Phoenix asked the lizard as they reached his jeep. Nelson stayed quiet until they had entered the vehicle and closed the doors. As he was putting on his seat belt, Nelson finally resumed speaking. "It's Maulia's sword," Nelson revealed. "Wait, that wasn't collected by Sylvester after he arrived?" Phoenix asked him incredulously.

"It was, but he never used it. I ended up collecting it and giving it to Sal after the raid on the Vera Alus, just a day before the house was searched by the police," Nelson replied. "Hey... the residence where Arjun was staying; what happened to that place?" Phoenix asked him. "Well, after the police searched it and found... a few more things to hold against Arjun and the others, Pam got taken into custody for a brief period, and Duke and I got questioned before they released the three of us. The place has been... renovated since then," Nelson explained.

"Renovated? What do you-wait, who's Duke?" Phoenix asked him. "Duke Weaselton. He was a liaison between Arjun and Sharpo for a brief period, before Arjun employed him as a courier and sometimes-money launderer. He pretty much works as a mail clerk at the Canal District office now," Nelson said. "What species is he?" Phoenix asked him. "A weasel. Didn't the name clue you in?" Nelson replied.

"No. I've met leopards named Beaker, goannas named Redfur, and birds named Mousekewitz. Now, you tell me if I should really make an assumption based on someone's name," Phoenix replied. "And besides, my own last name comes from a mythical bird," the dingo added. "Touch'e," Nelson replied as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking spot.

* * *

 **Sal's Bunker, Somewhere In The Rainforest District...**

Sallierre "Sal" Shortclaw had just opened a bottle of Guinness when he heard a knock on the door to his home. Walking over to the door, he used the peep-hole to see who was outside. He recognized Nelson instantly, having kept a scheduled game night with him, Duke, and Pam every month for the past ten years. The dingo, however, seemed only vaguely familiar to him.

"Nel, who's your friend?" Sal asked as he opened the door. "Hey there, Sally," the dingo said. "My name is... wait, Phoenix?" Sal asked, hearing the dingo's accent come through loud and clear. "Miss me?" Phoenix asked him. "No, not really," Sal replied bluntly. "Aww, that hurts my feelings," Phoenix said jokingly. "I highly doubt that," Sal said flatly.

"So, what brings you to Zootopia?" Sal asked him. "Didn't Nelly here tell you?" Phoenix asked him, causing Nelson to cringe slightly at the nickname. "Right, Komo got released. Is he already starting things up again?" Sal asked in response. "Sort of. Right now, we're just doin' some recon and building our forces back up again," Phoenix replied.

"Okay. So... what exactly do you need me for? If you aren't setting up operations in Zootopia yet, then-" "We're here to collect Maulia's sword," Nelson said. "Ah. How do you plan on leaving the country with it?" Sal asked. "I don't. I just want to see it," Phoenix replied. "Really? That's it?" Sal asked him curiously. "Yeah. I also need access to some small arms weaponry. Nothing major, just enough to defend myself if I get into trouble," Phoenix added.

"Get into trouble? What exactly do you plan on doing here?" Sal asked him. "I'm doing recon for Komo. I'm going to be checking out pretty much the entire city this month so that we can plan things better when I return to Reptaelia," Phoenix explained. "So... has Komo dealt with that Sakish guy yet?" Sal asked him.

Phoenix turned his head to look at Nelson. "Nelly, haven't you been spreading the word?" Phoenix asked the monitor lizard. "Not really. Who's there to tell?" Nelson asked him. "Fair point. Anyway, yes, Komo has dealt with the fatso," Phoenix said to Sal. "Yeah. He kept him locked in a freezer for a week," Nelson added. "Actually, he kept the bastard's corpse in the freezer until he'd finished eating all of it," Phoenix said.

"He... he what?" Nelson asked him. "Didn't Komo tell you over the phone? He ate Sakish... alive," Phoenix said. Sal gulped, and Nelson blanched. "Didn't he learn anything from the incident with Flannigan?" Sal asked. "Don't worry. He made sure to keep this entirely within his house, not out in the open," Phoenix said with a smirk. "Now, where's the sword?"

* * *

Date: Wednesday, December 25th, 2029

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central**

Benjamin and Victoria Wilde slowly crept through the upstairs hallway of the house as they made their way over to the stairs. When they neared their parents' bedroom door, both hybrids stopped moving and waited with baited breath as they listened for sounds of movement. When they felt satisfied that neither parent was awake, they continued making their way towards the stairs, huge grins adorning their faces.

As the duo quietly crept down the stairs, they quickly leapt off of the landing and rushed over to the living room, where the large metal and plastic Christmas tree was standing, along with several wrapped up boxes and presents underneath it. "Wait," Vicky said as she pulled her brother back just as he was about to waltz over to the presents. "What? Why!?" Ben asked his sister in confusion. Vicky pointed to a string connected to a Rube Goldbergian device, which was connected to an alarm.

"It's an alarm system," Vicky said. "Do Mom and Dad think someone would steal our presents?" Ben asked his sister. She turned to look at him. "No. It's for _us_ ," Vicky said. "Huh? Why would they try to keep us from getting our presents?" Ben asked her. "Ben, Mom an Dad try to make us all open our presents at the same time every year. Family bonding and stuff," Vicky replied.

"Oh. So, why the alarm?" Ben asked her. Vicky looked at her brother with an expression of disappointment on her face. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Ben asked her. Vicky merely shook her head in dismay before walking over to the alarm and moving it out of the way.

"There. Now we can-" "Wait for your father to get downstairs." Vicky and Ben both gulped and turned their heads to look over at the kitchen, where their mother sat on a stool, eating a bowl of cereal. "You should both know by now that I always get up the earliest," Judy said with a grin on her face. Ben and Vicky both frowned and looked at the floor. "Yes Mom," Vicky said with a sigh. "Now, get over here and have some breakfast. We aren't touching any presents until your father gets down here and eats," Judy said as she motioned for both kits to enter the kitchen.

 **One Hour Later...**

Judy and Nick both unwrapped their gifts from each other with amusement. "A paw-buzzer?" Nick asked his wife. "It suits you," she said with a shrug. Nick looked over at Victoria as she unwrapped her second present: a fantasy book written by J.K. Howling. "Please tell me that's the one that you wanted," Nick said quietly. Victoria's ears perked as she heard her father's words, and a mean grin formed on her face before she turned to face her father.

She put on her best pout and frowned before holding out the book. "This isn't the one I wanted at all!" Vicky whined. Nick frowned and his ears flattened. "Just kidding, Daddy!" Victoria said with a smile after a minute. Nick looked at his daughter in surprise, before he let out a sigh of relief. "Little rascal. Making me feel bad like that," he muttered as he shook his head.

Looking over at his wife, Nick saw that she still had a small number of unwrapped presents from him. Picking up one of the gifts that she'd gotten him, Nick started unwrapping it before pestering his wife to open the rest of her presents. "I just wanna get some pictures of the kits with their gifts," Judy said as she got off the couch and retrieved her phone from the kitchen table. Walking back over to the living room, Judy called out to her children.

"Ben, Vicky; hold up your gifts and show us what you got for Christmas," Judy said with a smile as she turned on the phone's camera app. "Aw, do we _have to?_ " Ben whined. "Just do it for your mother," Nick implored his children. "Alright," Victoria said with a huff before picking up her books and puzzles, which kept falling out of her arms. "Try holding them one at a time," Nick suggested.

Victoria looked down at her fallen gifts before picking them all back up again, this time holding them securely, only for the gifts to once again fall out of her paws and onto the floor. Victoria frowned and furrowed her brows in determination as she reached back down to pick up her gifts again. "Hm... there's something familiar about that attitude," Nick mused, shooting a grin at his wife. Victoria finally lamented and held up her gifts one or two at a time as he mother took pictures and video, telling her mother what each gift was in the process.

When she was done with Victoria, Judy turned her attention to Benjamin. "Ben, what about you? What have you gotten so far this Christmas?" Judy asked as she pointed the phone's camera at her son. Ben smiled as he held up his new coloring books and toys, excitedly telling his mother about each one. Another hour passed before all of the presents were opened, and Nick began the duty of picking up the wrapping papers and putting them into a trash bag after Ben and Vicky had taken their presents up to their rooms.

Looking over at his wife, who was helping him with the bag, he sighed. Judy's ears perked as she looked at her husband. "Nick, Honey? Is something wrong?" Judy asked him. "I... I don't know," Nick said quietly. "I just... I never had a Christmas this nice when I was a kit. I don't think my _parents_ ever had something like this when they were kits," Nick said as he picked up more wrapping paper off the floor. "After my father left... I don't know if my mother ever did presents again for Christmas. I honestly don't remember us even having Christmas Dinners after my father disappeared," Nick said solemnly.

Judy walked over and hugged her husband. "It's okay, Nick. We've been doing this for six years, and we'll continue doing it when Ben and Vicky grow up and have children of their own," Judy said. "If they _can_ ," Nick said. "We don't even know if they're capable of having children in the future," Nick said with a frown. "What if Ben and Vicky are the last of the Wilde blood-line?" Nick asked his wife.

Judy mulled over this in her head. "Well... I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Judy finally said thoughtfully. "Yeah," Nick said. "Well, let's get this wrapped up. Heh. Wrapped up," Nick said in amusement. "That's terrible," Judy admonished him playfully. "So... dinner here or at my mother's place tonight?" Nick asked his wife. "Here. Your mother's going to be coming over, along with Finnick, and... well, my parents, for lunch _and_ dinner," Judy said.

"Bonnie and Stu are visiting? You never said anything," Nick asked her. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides... we have a big enough house for everyone to join us now," Judy said with a smile. "I guess you have a point there," Nick said. "So... when do they arrive, and how long are they staying?" Nick asked Judy.

"They sent me a text earlier saying that they'd just boarded the train. I'm gonna go to the station to pick them up soon," Judy said before giving her husband a peck on the cheek. "Don't forget to use a booster seat while driving," Nick said jokingly. Judy playfully punched his arm, causing Nick to feign injury. "Aww, my feewings!" Nick pretend-pouted. "Oh, you _poor baby_ ," Judy retorted with smirk, rolling her eyes before heading up the stairs to get cleaned up and properly dressed.

"Wait... she didn't tell me how long they'll be staying," Nick said to himself in realization. "Uh, Honey? You didn't answer my other question!" Nick called out as he made his way up the stairs after his wife. "Judy! Carrots!" Nick called out as he followed his wife into the bedroom, just before she shut the door in his face. "Hey! What gives?" he asked. " _You'll find out when they get here. Besides, I haven't seen my parents in person in over eight months! We get to see your mother every other weekend,_ " Judy said through the doorway as she changed into some casual clothes.

When she was finished, she opened the door and strode past her husband, wearing blue jeans and a white T-Shirt. "You might wanna get cleaned up to, hon. And check to see how much space we have the fridge and the freezers," Judy said as she hopped down the stairs and made her way over to the front door. "Make sure that Ben and Vicky are dressed before I get back! Love you, bye!" Judy called out one final time before exiting the house and closing the front door behind her. A minute later, she re-entered the house and walked over to the key rack next to the door.

"Eh... oops," she said to herself before grabbing to keys to the car and exiting the house again. She then opened the door and entered the house yet again, this time grabbing the spare house key as well. "Is there... anything else you've forgotten?" Nick asked his wife from the top of the stairs. "Hmm... nope! Well, see ya when I get back!" Judy replied with a smile before exiting the house again. Nick sighed and made his way back to their bedroom, getting himself cleaned up and changed into some decent casual clothes.

* * *

 **Zootopia Central Station...**

Judy Wilde made her way over to the arrival platform and waited for the train to pull in. Walking over to a bench, Judy sat back and relaxed as she looked around at the various animals who were walking around the station. Giraffes, elephants, hippos, lions, tiger, bears, wolves, deer, antelope, gazelle, pigs, goats, jaguars, leopards, sheep, rhinos, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, beavers, zebras, coyotes, capybara, moles, rats, gerbils, elk, moose, lemmings, otters, kangaroos, koalas, a dingo, and even several platypuses were seen in the station. Looking over at the other side of the platform, Judy noticed a lone male dingo talking to a sloth bear.

The two conversing animals were soon blocked by the sight of the train pulling into the station in front of her. Judy switched her attention to the train doors as they opened and a slew of animals flooded out of the vehicle. Looking at the small doors, Judy's eyes lit up and a smile adorned her face as she saw Bonnie and Stu exiting the train, luggage in tow.

"Mom! Dad!" Judy said happily as she rushed over to greet her parents, enveloping both of them in a hug. "Well, hey there Jude!" Stu said with a smile as he returned the hug with one arm. Bonnie used her free arm to return the hug as well. "Judy, how've you been?" Bonnie asked her. "Good. I've been good," Judy replied with a smile.

"How are Nick and the kids?" Bonnie asked her. "They're fine. Vicky's been getting into reading a lot lately, so we've been buying more books for her," Judy replied. "Huh, that's a first," Stu said. "What's her reading level?" Bonnie asked her daughter as they made their way through the grand halls of the station. "First grade," Judy said. "Nick bought her a book that's a bit more advanced than a first grader's reading level, but I know that she'll learn how to read it eventually," Judy said.

"What about Ben?" Stu asked her. "Benjamin? Oh, he's at a normal reading level for a kid his age. He doesn't quite have the enthusiasm that Vicky has for reading, but he loves puzzles, though," Judy replied. "Does he like cross-word puzzles? I brought a whole book full of 'em," Stu asked. "More like picture puzzles, but I think he'll still like it," Judy replied. "Well, that's good," Stu said as the trio made their way out to the parking area where the car was parked.

"Homeward bound!" Judy shouted with glee as she got in the car and started the engine. "Judy, buckle your seat belt first," Bonnie said. "Oops," Judy said before buckling her seat belt. "Now, homeward bound!" Judy exclaimed happily. "Christmas lunch and dinner," Stu said with a smile. "Yup! A lots of food!" Judy said as she pulled out of the parking lot and drove onto the main road. "Aw, dang it!" Judy muttered a few minutes later. "What? What's wrong?" Bonnie asked her. "We're going the wrong way," Judy said before stopping at a light and making a left turn at the next intersection.

"As long as we make it there in time for lunch," Stu said with a smile. "Besides, we'll be here until Saturday, so we can take our time," Bonnie added. "I know. I know," Judy said with a smile. "Dad... you _will_ be civil with Nick, won't you?" Judy asked her father. "Jude, of course I will. He's treated you better than some of your sisters' spouses have treated _them_ ," Stu responded.

"Just checking. Nick's mom is going to be there too," Judy added. "Claire? I haven't spoken to her since last Christmas," Bonnie said. "Say, whatever did happen to Nick's father?" Stu asked curiously. "Nobody knows. Nick says that his dad just left the house one day and never returned home." "Huh. I'll remember not to bring it up around him then," Stu said. "So, what's for lunch?" Stu asked. "Vegetarian noodle salad, broccoli, lasagna, blueberries, apple pie, and water to drink," Judy said. "Don't forget about the food we brought along," Bonnie said.

"I won't, but I think that should wait until dinner" Judy said. "Uh... Judy? I think you missed a stop sign," Stu said worriedly. "Cheese and crackers," Judy muttered in dismay. "Focus more on the road, not us," Bonnie said. "Yes, Mom," Judy said as she continued driving home. "Yeah, or else we won't let you have any of the pies that Gideon made," Stu added cheekily. "Now that's just _mean_ ," Judy retorted with a smile.

"Aww, crap," Judy muttered. "What?" Bonnie asked her. "I missed the turn. I gotta turn us around again," Judy said. "This is going to take a while, isn't it?" Stu asked as Judy continued driving them through the streets of Zootopia. "Yup."

* * *

Author's Notes: Again, I'm sorry for the delay, but writer's block is a fucking bitch. Be sure to let me know what you guys think of the chapter in your reviews.


	4. GOOD NEWS, EVERYBODY!

Good news, everybody!

I've decided to quit writing Zootopia fan fiction forever, so that I can pursue my life-long dream of joining the circus!

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...

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...

...

Ha! I'm just fucking with you!

I _hate_ the circus.

Anyway, I will be resuming my work on Zootopia: The Good, The Bad, and The Evil in mid-December, along with some one shots and ZPD Fact Files!

As a special treat, if I get at least one review for each of my non-Zootopia stories before December 23rd (not necessarily one review per chapter, more like one review per work in general), I'll write a special Zootopia/Grinch crossover story that will be posted in the last week of December!


	5. Jingle All The Way With The Kranks

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

Hello, I'm back. And, I would like to get this out of the way, this story will be however long it takes to tell the story. It's not going to be as long as The Scales Of Fear, since I don't need to worry too much about developing the villains this time around, as I've already developed them in previous stories. So, I get to make it faster paced, much like Furry Fury, but I get to have already well-developed villains, like my other stories. It's a win-win!

The main reason this took so long to develop was that I was trying to find a way to return to a longer format like my other stories, but in the end, that just led me to get more writer's block, especially since my work schedule has gotten very busy during the holiday season, which derailed my plans to work on this and THE THING II: Hawke Station side-by-side. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year... a bunch of major holidays with only a few weeks between each of them! Not a lot of time to write and plan out two stories at once.

I work at a grocery store, so around the holidays the store gets swamped due to all of the sales, especially when there are also weather warnings around the same time. Christmas is also _this coming weekend_ (at the time of this posting), so the past two weeks have been especially busy, meaning that even when I have time off, I've been too tired to write very much, if at all. So, this chapter won't be very long, but it should still be enough to satisfy all of you until the next one is posted. Hopefully.

* * *

 **Chapter 04: Jingle All The Way With The Kranks  
**

* * *

Date: Wednesday, December 25th, 2029

 **Sharptooth Motel, Outback Island**

John Phoenix sat on the bed in the motel with Maulia's sword in his paws. "Red Throat. That's what she used to call you," Phoenix said to the sword as he stood up and began practicing his swing with it. "Stance... balance and weight coordination," Phoenix said to himself as he began remembering his training as he sliced through the air with the sword. "Still got it," he said to himself with a smile as he danced through the room while swinging the sword, narrowly missing each piece of furniture.

"We'd always bet on Maulia dying from tripping with you in her paws," Phoenix said to the sword affectionately. "Wilbur always bet the lowest, and Roland always made highest bets, and he'd always lose each mission," Phoenix said with a chuckle before looking at his own reflection in the sword. He gently ran a paw up the side of the blade, wincing before drawing his paw back to look at the blood dripping from it.

"Figures," Phoenix said to himself with a self-deprecating smile. "The only person who never cut themself on you was Maulia," Phoenix said before he re-sheathed the sword in its scabbard, hiding it under the bed and making his way over to the door. He grabbed the hotel keys and a flack jacket before locking the door and leaving the motel. Standing outside in the slightly cool weather, Phoenix looked around at the evening sky. "Christmas Day, and Saturday will be the Annual Winter Solstace Celebration," Phoenix said to himself with a smile.

 _But... I think I'd like some appropriate weather for the season_ , he thought to himself as he walked over to the jeep that Nelson had lent to him. Hopping into the driver's seat and closing the door, Phoenix decided to set up his GPS device and plot a route to Tundra Town. "Let's check on that competition of ours. See what it looks like with the shrew out of the way," Phoenix said to himself before starting the engine and turning on the GPS unit.

* * *

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central...**

"Okay, and then, and this is the best part," Nick said with a smile as he looked around the dinner table, "Ben says that he only ate _half_ of the cookies, and then Vicky smacks him upside the head with the last remaining cookie!" Judy started chuckling at the story. "Oh, that is just _adorable!_ " Janet Clayworth said with a smile. Stu looked at Janet, having somehow forgotten that Judy had invited her, along with Marion "Finnick" Finster and Benjamin Clawhauser, for Christmas Dinner. Clawhauser had slimmed down a small bit over the years, although he was still rather portly, while Finnick... had remained Finnick.

Janet Clayworth, however, had changed a great deal in the eight years since Nick and Judy had met her. After five years of service, Janet had managed to get promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and each year that she was on the force, more and more animals recognized her status as an actual police officer, requiring Nick and Judy to patrol with her less and less over her first two years. Of course, each year also marked an increase in her overall maturity as well. She had mellowed out a bit from her original eager and perky self, although she still had plenty of energy. She was also the Wildes' go-to babysitter on the weekends and during the summer months.

"Uh, yeah. A-Adorable," Stu said in hesitant agreement. "Oh, you wouldn't _believe_ the messes that Judy and her siblings would get into at that age," Bonnie said with a smile. "Like the oven that we had to replace? Or how about the blue velvet cake incident?" Stu chimed in. Judy turned her eyes away from her parents and whistled innocently. "Blue... velvet?" Clawhauser asked curiously. "Well, we keep the cake ingredients and baking supplies locked in a cupboard out of their current reach," Nick said.

"Nick, Nick, Nick," Bonnie said while shaking her head. "These two kids of yours are _Judy's_. They'll find a way," she added with a smirk. Nick looked over at Ben and Victoria. "Hm. We may need to buy extra locks," he said quietly before sticking his fork into his vegetarian lasagna and putting it into his mouth.

"Like that'll stop any child of Judy's," Bonnie said with a knowing smirk. "Wait," Clawhauser interrupted, "I thought I heard you guys say _blue velvet cake_. Does it... taste like red velvet?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow, while Stu reached up to rub his chin in contemplation. "Uh... you know, it's been so long since we've made any, I don't really remember," Stu finally said.

* * *

 **Koslov's Place, Tundra Town**

Stepping out of the jeep, Phoenix pulled his vest closer with a slight shiver before locking the doors of the vehicle behind him. He quickly made his way over to the entrance of the restaurant and stepped inside, hearing a little bell ring as the door opened. A large polar bear at the register looked at him in curiosity.

Walking up to the podium where the waiter, another polar bear, was standing, Phoenix glanced around and took in the sights and smells of the eatery. There was a somewhat warm atmosphere with the lighting, while the smell of fish and bugs hung heavy in the air. There were tables and booths occupied by various mammals, mostly predators, and almost all of them were of arctic or polar region ancestry.

There were arctic foxes, polar bears, weasels, stoats, ferrets, black bears, Kodiak bears, wolves, coyotes, snow leopards, bobcats, Siberian tigers, badgers, and wolverines. The polar bear at the podium looked down at the dingo as he walked up to him. "Can I... help you, sir?" the polar bear asked him.

"Got a table?" Phoenix asked him, his accent loud and clear. "You look a little lost. You don't seem like you're from around here," the polar bear noted. "I'm just visiting," Phoenix said with a curt nod and a smile. "Well, I'll see if we have any spots open," the bear said. Phoenix looked behind him and saw at least three empty tables near a set of booths. "Those look empty," Phoenix said as he pointed behind the ursine.

"Yes. Indeed they are," the bear said with a hint of annoyance. This did not go unnoticed by Phoenix. "Have I done something to offend you, mate?" Phoenix asked him. "Ma-what did you just call me?" the bear asked him incredulously. "Mate? Where I come from, it's just a word, like pal or buddy," Phoenix said. "Right," the bear said as he calmed down before leading the dingo over to one of the tables.

"I'll be back with a menu shortly," the bear said before walking away. Phoenix quietly watched the waiter walk away before he resumed his study of the restaurant. _Mostly bears, not surprised. Wolverines, nasty fellas they are. Stoats... I don't I've ever really met one,_ Phoenix thought to himself as he observed the various animals in the restaurant.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw one table with a miniature table and booth area set up. Occupying said tables and booths were over a dozen arctic shrews. _Well... I didn't think I'd see that,_ Phoenix thought to himself in mild amusement before he looked away and waited for the waiter to return.

* * *

 **Zerbrek Village, Reptaelia...**

Standing on a pier next to a small shipyard, a Eurasian gray wolf checked his watch. Looking up at the clouds in the sky, the wolf sighed as he waited for a certain lizard to arrive. When he heard the sound of scaled feet and a tail dragging on the ground, the wolf looked over to see a large Komodo Dragon, wearing a fishing outfit and holding fishing gear, smiling at him. "Byrne McAllister," Komo said.

"Komo," McAllister replied, nodding his head. Komo walked forward and set his gear on the ground, including his tackle box. "Have you been followed?" McAllister asked him. "No. I made certain," Komo replied. "Alright, how many of my people to do you plan to sacrifice?" McAllister asked in a bitter tone.

"McAllister, that is no way to speak to a friend," Komo said with a smile. "Komo, those were my mercenaries. I trained them, and you got them killed," McAllister said bitterly. "No, the police of Zootopia got them killed," Komo said. "If you had been more careful with your activities, then maybe you wouldn't have needed to send them over there in the first place," McAllister retorted bitterly.

"I thought that they were good enough to get the job done," Komo said. "You should have simply sent Wilbur alone, and he would have gotten the job done and over with in less than three days without being caught. You shouldn't have sent Maulia and Zack, or even Roland," McAllister said. "It was a mistake," Komo said with a frown. "Komo, sending Maulia _anywhere_ outside of Reptaelia would have been a mistake, no matter the job," McAllister said.

"Well, we can't change the past," Komo said as he looked out over the pier, watching as several fishing boats began pulling into the port. "No, but I can prevent a repeat of it," McAllister said darkly. "You plan to terminate our agreement? Our _contract?_ " Komo asked him with an edge to his voice.

"I plan on giving you only who you _need_ , and only if you absolutely require additional forces other than who you already have," McAllister said. "Your people still have loyalty to me, McAllister. They will not object to continuing our operations," Komo said. "I'll give you six months, Komo. If you can go six months without anyone dying from something other than natural causes, then I will give you more soldiers. No operations outside of Reptaelia either, Komo. You need to prove to me that you can handle things properly," McAllister said.

"What about the small scale operation with our docks in Zootopia? We do still have shipments being delivered there," Komo said. "No expansions until the six months are over. If you want my forces to support you, then you have to prove that you remember how to play the game," McAllister said with a glare. "And after the six months?" Komo asked him. "We'll see," McAllister replied.

"Very well. Operations in Zootopia and elsewhere will remain at their current size and pace until the six months are over," Komo said, reaching a scaly hand out. McAllister reached his paw out and grasped Komo's hand before shaking it. "Then we have a deal. Now, what's this I've heard about you retaining some of that tiger's forces?" McAllister asked him.

"Conquer and absorb. I have to keep the survivors loyal to me, and show them what real muscle looks like. Their boss was too lazy and fat to fight back against me. Any one of his own men could have easily usurped him before I was even released from prison," Komo explained as he picked up his fishing gear. "Wait, you just brought that stuff out here for show?" McAllister asked him.

"Of course. Animals look at me and then see the fishing gear, and they will connect the dots on their own. No questions asked," Komo said with a smirk. "Clever," McAllister said. "I've always been sharp," Komo said. "Yes, you certainly have," McAllister said in agreement. "So, what exactly are you planning after your six-month probation period is over?" McAllister asked the reptile.

"There are some police officers in Zootopia who have become a nuisance to me," Komo said quietly. "I know who you are referring to," McAllister said. "Were it not for these animals, my empire would not have been crippled. Arjun would still be alive, my home would not have been claimed by that tiger, and... oh, Wilbur is still in prison, isn't he?" Komo said suddenly. "Yes... that's right," McAllister said in agreement.

"Hm, he hasn't talked once in all this time? Heh. That's dedication," Komo acknowledged with a grin. "Wilbur has always been among the most loyal of my subordinates," McAllister said as he and Komo walked away from the pier. "But, back on topic, Komo. What exactly do you have in mind for these police officers?" McAllister asked him.

"I don't know just yet. I only know that I want them to suffer. I want revenge for Arjun and Sylvester. For Darryl, Roland, and Razak. For Maulia and Zack," Komo said. "Hm. What about Kalmius?" McAllister asked. "Fuck Kalmius," Komo replied. McAllister merely shrugged his shoulders apathetically in response.

"You know, Komo, that if you get caught, it may be the last time. I don't think that anyone will be lenient with you a second time," McAllister said. "If I get caught then I will fight to the death," Komo said firmly. "I will not go back to prison. I will either succeed without getting caught, or I will be exposed and die on my feet. I will not languish in a prison for the rest of my life. I will die on my feet or I will go in my sleep," Komo said.

"Then you'd better plan this out carefully, Komo, because I will not be giving you extra support for this revenge plot. Honestly, you would be better off just leaving them alone and continuing your operations in secret," McAllister said. "Perhaps, in six months, my desire for revenge will abate," Komo said as he and McAllister made their way over to a nearby cantina. "Although... it is unlikely. Only time will tell."

* * *

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central...**

"Okay, this picture was taken when they were both just a year old," Judy said as she held open a photo album. "You know, I'm pretty sure we've seen your children at just about every age in person so far," Clawhauser said. "We're talking about behind closed doors, when they stop pretending to be innocent little angels," Nick said with a smirk.

"Pretending? Are you saying that these two _aren't_ actually the most innocent little kits that you've ever seen?" Clawhauser asked in mock astonishment. Nick stared at Clawhauser with a bemused expression. "Yes," he said flatly before turning his head to look at said offspring, both of whom were showing Clayworth their various Christmas presents now that dinner was over.

"See? Isn't it neat?" Ben asked Clayworth as he showed her one of his toys. "Wow! It sure is!" Janet replied, hamming up her enthusiasm for the little hybrid's sake. "I got a book!" Victoria cried out happily as she showed her new gift to the arctic fox. "Whoa! You certainly did," Janet said with a smile.

Back on the couch, Judy pointed at a picture of Ben wrestling with a neck tie. "Ben wanted to try on his father's clothes that day. We had to go buy new ones over the weekend," Judy said with a chuckle. "That was my favorite tie," Nick said. "What was so special about it?" Stu asked him. "It's the tie that I wore when I sold Mr. Big the skunk rug," Nick said with a grin.

Judy then pointed at another picture. "This one was taken on a day that they were particularly hyper, just after we'd given them a bath," Judy said. Ben and Victoria were both covered from head to toe in white soap suds, looking like snowmen made out of bubbles. "And this one here was taken when we'd introduced them to ice cream flavors other than vanilla," Nick said as he pointed to a picture that showed Ben and Victoria covered in blue, red, brown, and yellow ice cream stains.

"I still don't understand how they got ice cream all over themselves," Nick said. "When children get into something they like, that's pretty much what happens," Stu said knowingly, experience having taught him that lesson a long time ago. "Oh, indeed," Bonnie said, nodding her head in agreement.

"So, how're you guys doing at the station so far?" Stu asked. "Oh, things are going fine. We have off weekends, as usual, and... we're still mostly on either desk duty or patrol routes," Judy said with a frown. "Carrots, we've talked about this before," Nick said. "We have children now. We can't just go out there and get involved in dangerous cases like we used to," he added.

"I know. It's just... I just want one more big case. Just one. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut," Judy said with a groan as she leaned back against the couch. "Come on, the printer broke down the other day. Wasn't that exciting enough?" Nick asked, prompting the bunny to look over at him with a glare.

"Well, I had fun cleaning you off in the shower that night," Nick said with a salacious grin. "So, what kind of... paperwork do you guys work on?" Bonnie asked. "Oh, forms for requests, inventory, daily reports, newsletters, reviewing our guidebooks," Judy said in a bored tone.

"Well, at least you get to come home and see your kits at the end of the day. That makes taking the safe work worth it, though, right?" Stu asked her. Judy glanced over at her offspring as they excitedly continued showing their gifts to Claire and Janet. "Yeah. I just... I know that I can handle something big and still come back in one piece, but... everyone treats me like I'm some kind of delicate flower," Judy said softly.

"I joined the police so that I could make a difference in the world. Make it a better place, and-" "And we _have_ ," Nick interjected. "Judy, we put an end to a ring of crooked cops. We've sent murderers to prison. We've stopped political schemes to undermine this very city's existence, and we've put our necks on the line each time. We've earned the peace that we have now," Nick said with a soft smile on his face.

"I know. I just... I just wish that sometimes I could be out there on the streets again, catching criminals and solving crimes, like Furrero or Gibson," Judy said. "Well, you need to get a lot taller if you wanna be like them," Nick joked. Judy snorted and rolled her eyes. "Speaking of them, I wonder what those two are up to right now," Judy pondered.

 **Downtown Zootopia...**

Police Lieutenant Roger Gibson looked up at the roof of the office building in front of him. Standing on a ledge was a male zebra in his thirties, wearing a business suit and screaming out at anyone who moved closer. Looking away and shaking his head with a sigh, Roger walked over to the sidewalk. "Hey, where are you going?" Detective Cynthia Furrero asked him.

"The roof," Gibson replied. "Are you serious?" the coywolf asked the lion. Gibson looked over at her with a blank expression. "No, I'm just gonna walk out into traffic so this guy can see what'll happen when his body hits the pavement," Gibson replied sarcastically. "Rog, I know that you don't like seeing people kill themselves, but _forcing_ this guy to cooperate isn't exactly going to help the situation," Cynthia said with a frown.

"Yeah? Well, maybe if we'd intercepted a robbery we could have excused ourselves to ignore this, but we didn't. We were close by when we heard the call. What kind of cops would we be to ignore that? Besides, all I have to do is distract him long enough for the guys with the safety... _thingie_ to set up their... you know, jumper-catching thing," Gibson replied as he began climbing up the fire escape. "You mean the air mattress?" Cynthia asked him. "Yeah, that thing!" Gibson said with a wink. "How the hell do you _not_ know that word by now?" Cynthia asked him in mild disgust.

"You just stay down there and keep an eye on him until the suicide-prevention... megaphone... guy... arrives," Gibson said, not sure of the proper term, while he continued climbing. " _Rog, you're a fucking idiot_ ," Cynthia muttered under her breath as she watched the lion continue his journey to the roof, where three other officers were waiting in a flat area away from the jumper. She quickly made her way around to the front of the building, rejoining the crowd of onlookers and fellow officers, the majority of whom were street officers with their blue uniforms, including gray wolf Thomas McLeod and brown bear Hans Fursfield.

McLeod saw Cynthia walking over on her own. "Please, tell me that your partner isn't gonna do something stupid," he asked her with a frown. "I'd rather not lie to you," Cynthia responded with a sigh. "He can be a crazy son of a bitch sometimes," McLeod said while shaking his head in dismay. "Dumbass thinks he's a superhero," Fursfield chimed in. "I _wish_ ," Cynthia muttered.

Up on the roof, Gibson was busy conversing with the other officers. "Has he given _any_ clues for his behavior? Anything that we can use to calm him down? Any names of people he knows?" Gibson asked. "Nothing. He just keeps whining that he's gonna jump, and then when someone tries to stop him, he just cries and yells at them. I think he just wants the attention," one of the officers, a Fallow deer buck, said.

"Never take a suicide lightly," Gibson said with a frown and a glare. "I've seen attention grabbers before. This one time, in Sahara Square, this little antelope girl had her foot stuck in a hole in someone's front lawn, and every time someone tried to help her, she would just fight back and yell all terrified and whatnot. Every time she looked at the camera that some news crew had, she would be all smiles. Trust me, I've seen fakers who just want attention," another officer, a rhino, said with a frown.

"Having your foot stuck in a hole isn't the same as threatening to jump off a building," Gibson said. "Well... this guy _is_ pretty whiny, and we've pretty much lost our patience with him," the third officer, a black bear, said bitterly. "Well... I've still got some patience. Anyone got a ketchup packet with them?" Gibson asked. "Uh... sure, but why do you want one?" the bear asked him. "I'm hungry," Gibson replied.

The bear sighed before taking out a Bugga-Burger brand ketchup packet from one of his pockets and handing it to Gibson. The lion took the packet and then turned around, marching over to the spot on the roof where the jumper was located. There was a ridge between the ledge and the rest of the roof, so Gibson had to step over it carefully. "Heya, buddy! How's it goin' today?" Gibson asked him cheerfully.

"Go away!" the zebra screamed at him. "Don't touch meeee! I'll juuuummpp!" the zebra cried out. "Buddy, I wouldn't touch you with a nine-and-a-half foot pole," Gibson replied. "Y-You won't try to touch me?" the zebra asked him. "Hell no. You might grab me and take me down with you when you jump," Gibson replied before he took out his ketchup packet.

"W-What's that?" the zebra asked him. "It's a ketchup packet," Gibson said in a matter-of-fact manner. "Why? You've never seen one before?" he then asked the zebra mockingly.

"Sh-Shut up, pred! Don't come near meeee!" the zebra cried out. "Look, why don't you tell me why you're doing this, okay?" Gibson asked him, stepping forward an inch. "Stay back! I'll jump if you come closer!" the zebra exclaimed. "Look, just talk to me, okay? There's no reason to kill yourself, man. Unless you're a child molester, in which case you can jump right now. I won't stop you," Gibson said. "J-Just shut up, man! If you come near me, I'll jump! I'll jump!" the zebra shouted, ignoring Gibson's words.

"Hm, are you sure that you wanna do that?" Gibson asked him skeptically, before using one of his claws to tear the packet open. He then squirted some of the ketchup onto a finger, before pressing the finger against the ridge of the roof. "Okay, do you see that ketchup stain right there?" Gibson asked the zebra as he pointed to the red stain.

"Y-Yeah," the zebra replied shakily. "Well, if you decide to actually _jump_ , then _that_ is what your body is going to look like when you hit the pavement. And believe me, it won't be fun or quick, or painless. I remember seeing someone jump from a building like this once. Blood everywhere, man. Paramedics found him still breathing a few minutes after he'd hit the ground, so he was in a world of pain before he finally died. Do you really wanna go out like that? There are far better things to do with yourself if you're feeling down, like spending a night with a hooker or watching a marathon of your favorite TV show, or eating some ice cream. Come on, don't you think those are better alternatives to killing yourself?" Gibson asked the zebra after squirting the rest of the ketchup into his mouth.

"Eww, that shit's stale. How fucking long did he have that packet with him?" Gibson grumbled with a frown. "You know what? I just got a stale ketchup packet. I think I'll kill myself over it," Gibson said as he looked the zebra in the eye. "Th-That ain't worth killin' yourself over!" the zebra yelled at him.

"No shit! And your problems _are?_ " Gibson retorted. "I'm hurting! I'm the one who's hurting here! Meee!" the zebra cried out in response. "Okay. Okay, you're hurting," Gibson said in a calm manner, holding out his empty paws. _And you're driving my patience._ "Look, people have problems, okay? I know that, sometimes, you think the only choice is to end it all. But it's _not_ , okay? There are options. If you kill yourself, then... then think of all the sex you'll never get to have," Gibson said.

The zebra raised an eyebrow at him. "Think of all the beautiful naked females that you'll never get to see masturbating in front of you in a motel bathroom... or online. Think of all the beautiful females you'll never get to bring to orgasm if you kill yourself," Gibson continued. The zebra's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief at the lion's words.

"Think of all the food you'll never get to eat. What's your favorite food? You'll never get to eat that again if you kill yourself. What's your favorite drink? You'll never have it again. Favorite game? Kiss that goodbye. Dead people don't play games," Gibson continued, slowly and carefully inching his way toward the zebra.

"Favorite TV show? Don't even bother worrying about cancellation, buddy. You ain't watching _shit_ after you die. Do you have a car? You'll never drive it again. And think about your friends and family. Your loved ones. Think of the hole that you'll be leaving in their lives if you kill yourself," Gibson continued. "And the biggest hole of all will be your own, cutting your life short before you can even reach your potential," Gibson said mournfully as he got within arms reach of the zebra. The zebra blinked at him, before shouting at him again.

"What the _fuck_ did any of that even _mean!?_ " the zebra cried out hysterically. Gibson glared at the zebra, realizing how close he was to him, before retrieving his cuffs and slapping them around the zebra's right wrist and his own left wrist. He quickly tightened the cuffs around their wrists before taking the key out of his pocket and dangling it in front of the zebra with a wicked grin on his face.

"You're crazy!" the zebra shouted. "Yeah? Well, watch _this_ ," Gibson said with a grin before throwing the keys onto the ground below. "Well, I guess if you wanna get out of these cuffs, then you'll have to come back to safety with me," Gibson said as he lifted a leg over the side of the ridge.

"No! No one respects me or listens to me! I told you not to touch me, and you touched meee!" the zebra cried. "I'm gonna do it now! I'm gonna do it now!" Gibson looked away as he rolled his eyes. "Look, if you jump, you'll be taking me with you, and _that_ will make you a murderer. Do you want that?" Gibson asked as he turned his head to face the hysterical zebra.

"You violated my truuuust! I'm gonna jump!" the zebra exclaimed. "Okay, I've had enough of your whining," Gibson growled as he reached over and grabbed the zebra by the shoulder, pulling him forward and punching him in the gut. "Trust me, it's for your own good," Gibson whispered in the zebra's ears before picking him up and carrying him over the ridge and onto the other section of the roof.

"Dude, what the hell was up with that speech?" the bear officer asked him. "Just a little something I came up with on my own," Gibson replied. "Yeah, but what was up with all the sex talk at the beginning of it?" the rhino asked him. "Don't question my ways, boys. That is the path that leads to madness," Gibson replied with a grin as he carried the zebra over to the fire escape.

When he arrived at the bottom, he saw Cynthia Furrero holding the key to his cuffs. "Aww, you found them! Mind waiting until we get this guy to the paramedics, though? I'd rather not risk him running back up there," Gibson said, causing Cynthia to roll her eyes. "God, you are such an ass sometimes," she said. "What? I got the job done, didn't I?" Gibson asked her.

"You're gonna get such a scolding from Captain Glover," she said. "So? His bark is worse than his bite," Gibson replied nonchalantly. "Besides, what's wrong with saving someone's life on Christmas Day, huh? I think that's something to be proud of," Gibson said with a smile as he carried the zebra over to a nearby ambulance. Looking over at the paramedics, Gibson flashed a grin. "Hey guys. Merry Christmas!"

* * *

Author's Notes: No, I did not deliberately wait until this week to post this chapter. That... is mere coincidence. Anyway, this is your early Christmas gift. Yes, this chapter takes a bit from the first Lethal Weapon (1987) near the end, but, eh, why not? It finally got me writing again.

Also, to anyone reading this who is having problems with life: talk to someone. Seek help, and remember that you're life is worth living to its fullest, no matter how bad or hopeless things feel right now.

Anyway, Jolly Christmas! Merry Hanukkah! Happy New Year! And... uh, everything else! Also, be sure to let me know what you think of the chapter and story so far in your reviews.


	6. Summer In The City

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

* * *

 **Chapter 05: Summer In The City**

* * *

Date: Monday, July 9th, 2030

 **Bogo Residence, 1385 Long Horn Drive, Savanna Central, Zootopia**

Zootopia Police Chief Martin Bogo looked at himself in the bathroom mirror as he finished brushing his teeth. "Another day on the job," he said to himself groggily. Looking up, he saw the reflection of his wife in the mirror as she walked up behind him. "Honey, have you been charging your phone lately?" Linda Bogo asked her husband.

"Always," Martin replied. "Well, it has a red light on it, so I was wondering if it was a battery warning," Linda explained. "It does? Bring it over here," Martin said. Linda nodded her head and walked over to the bedpost to retrieve the phone before bringing it to her husband. Martin swiped the screen to unlock it and saw that the red light was for a missed message alert.

"Hm, that's odd," he said before he accessed the phone's settings menu. "Unless... I see. I had it set to silent the whole weekend," Martin said to himself. He returned to the missed message menu and looked at the phone number on the screen, his eyes widening in recognition of a number that he hadn't heard from in a very long time. Pressing the TALK icon, Martin listened to the sound of the phone ringing, only to eventually get the voice mail box.

" _Hi, you've reached the voice mail box of John Bosworth. Please leave your name, a brief message, and a number where you can be reached, and I will return your call as soon as I am available. Thank you._ _ **AT THE TONE, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOICE MESSAGE,**_ " the machine said.

 **BEEP!**

"Uh, hey, John. It's me, Martin. I saw that you had tried contacting me this weekend, but... my phone was on silent the whole time. Um, if you need to reach me again, please call me after ten-thirty this morning. I'll have finished my morning briefing and will have returned to my office at the station by then. You already have my number, so... use that. Bye," Martin said before hanging up.

"What's with all of the 'uhs' and 'ums' dear?" Linda asked teasingly. "Just... trying to make myself seem... _less intimidating_ to an old friend," Martin replied. "Who is this John person anyway?" Linda asked him as she put in her contact lenses. "Oh, he's just an old friend from my youth. We sort of... stopped speaking to each other not too many years after I had joined the ZPD," Martin explained. "Oh? What happened?" Linda asked him. "A family member of his was... badly hurt by some of my fellow officers at the time who... [sigh] well, let's just say it wasn't a very pleasant time for any of us. They... betrayed my trust and that of the rest of the ZPD as well," Martin explained in perhaps the vaguest manner possible.

"Crooked cops?" Linda asked him. Martin looked at her with a hint of sorrow on his face. "Yes. They... they were my friends, and I trusted them. And they... I really don't like talking about it," Martin said. The two cape buffalo were silent for a minute. "I'm willing to listen if you ever do feel like talking about it with someone," Linda offered before walking over and taking one of Martin's hooves in her own. "I know. Thank you," Martin said.

"You're welcome. Now, go on and get those blue shirts at the station into shape this morning. You've two days off in a row," Linda said with a smirk. "Yes. I'll probably be lucky if the station is even still standing by the time I get there," Martin said jokingly. "Don't count on it," Linda replied jokingly.

* * *

 **The Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club, Happytown...**

Sitting at a booth in the back of the club, an immaculately dressed tiger watched as a young antelope walked onto the stage and began her dance routine for the patrons. The tiger's ear twitched as he heard foot steps behind him. He craned his neck to look at the equally sharply-dressed dingo, brown bear, and Corsac fox, all three of whom were escorting a badger in a not-so-clean black suit.

"Ah, Mister Verith. Please, sit down," Khali Sherakh said, gesturing with his paw for the badger to take a seat across from him. "So, you're Mr. Domo? Funny, your name made me think that you're a reptile," Verith said. "No, Mr. Verith. I am not my employer. He is... busy at the moment. He will, however, be with us shortly," Sherakh said.

"In the meantime, why don't you enjoy the show?" Sherakh added before gesturing towards the young antelope on the stage, who had already begun removing her clothes as she swayed her hips to the trance music being played. "I'm not into interspecies stuff, buddy. Especially not between preds and prey," Verith spat. "Suit yourself. Besides, looking is not the same as touching anyway," Sherakh said with a smirk.

"So, who's that asshole back there?" Verith asked him. "Excuse me?" Sherakh asked him, raising an eyebrow. "You know..." Verith trailed off as he turned his head to look at John Phoenix. "Who's the pig wolf?" Verith asked, prompting Phoenix to glare at him and slowly reach for his combat knife.

"I would watch that tongue of yours, Mr. Verith. You will need it intact if you wish to do business with us, and be especially careful around Mr. Phoenix with your words. He... does not take kindly to such epithets," Sherakh said. "So? Fuck him," Verith said. "I will warn you only once more, Mr. Verith. Mr. Phoenix is a very close friend and subordinate to my employer. Insult him in Mr. Domo's presence, and you may find yourself missing a limb, or worse," Sherakh said with a sharp glare.

"Yeah. Whatever," Verith said with some reluctance. "So... when exactly is your boss going to show up?" Verith soon asked. Sherakh reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone, looking at it for a few seconds before returning it to his pocket. "Patience. He will be here soon," the tiger said before returning his gaze to the now-naked antelope on the stage.

A few minutes later, Sherakh turned his head again as he heard the sound of a scaly tail and feet moving across the floor. The badger sitting across from him was looking behind him with widened eyes. Looking up at the face of his boss, Sherakh smiled before turning his head to look at Verith once more. "Mister Verith, please say hello to Mister Domo," Sherakh said.

"H-Hello, Mister... Domo," Verith said as the large Komodo Dragon walked over to him. "Hello, Mister Verith. I've heard that you are interested in doing business with us. Is that information correct?" Komo asked him. "Y-Yeah," Verith replied shakily.

"Is something wrong, Mister Verith?" Komo asked the badger. "I-I've never... met one of you guys in person before," Verith replied as he looked the lizard up and down. Komo Domo was dressed in a dark blue suit and yellow tie. "I suppose you haven't," Komo said in response.

"What exactly is going on here?" Verith asked. "What do you mean? We're discussing a business transaction. You wish to make a purchase of some of our product, do you not?" Komo asked him. "That isn't what I mean. I mean, what's with the pat-down I went through earlier? Are your guys all mercenaries or something?" Verith asked him. "Yes," Komo replied with a smirk.

"Wait a minute... mercenaries don't exactly have a friendly reputation around here. I mean, have you heard about what happened here over nine years ago? A bunch of mercenaries came over here from Reptaelia and started... wait, are you guys all from Reptaelia?" Verith stopped and asked. "Technically, I was born in Indonesia, and Mister Sherakh here was born in India, but, yes," Komo replied.

"Oh _shit_ ," Verith said. "Mister Verith, I hope that this won't be a problem," Komo said. "You do still wish to do business with us, don't you?" Komo asked him. "Y-Yeah, but... you guys aren't gonna start blowing things up, are you?" Verith responded. "Not at the moment," Komo replied flatly. Verith looked around and saw that more animals in suits were standing in various locations throughout the club.

"Alright, how much does one pound of the stuff cost?" Verith asked. "One kilogram costs a hundred bucks," Komo said. "A hundred!? For just a kilogram!?" Verith hissed. "I am in this business to make _money_ , Mister Verith. Besides, I think that this is a rather generous offer," Komo said. "A kilogram is equal to two-point-two pounds. You're paying fifty bucks for one-point-one pound each," Komo added.

Verith let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. When and where do I pick it up?" the badger asked him. "You still haven't said how much you want, Mister Verith," Komo said. "I'll take a kilogram," Verith said. "Good. Now, would you like to know more about our other merchandise?" Komo asked him. "You don't just sell coke?" Verith asked him. "We also import heroin, meth, and whatever is in demand," Komo said.

"I'll just stick with the coke for now," Verith said after taking a minute to mull over the choices in his mind. "Very well," Komo said. "So, do I pick the stuff up now, or later?" Verith asked them. "You will receive the product after the next shipment arrives," Komo said. "Yeah, and when is that?" Verith asked.

"Our next shipment will arrive next week at the docks in the Canal District," Sherakh said. "Do I pick it up there, or do I meet someone at a designation location?" Verith asked them. "When it arrives, you will recieve instructions. Please, give us your cell phone number, and we will add you to our list of buyers," Komo replied. Verith looked between the two large carnivores. "Okay. Give me something to write on," Verith requested.

Sherakh pulled out a note pad and used a claw to slice a small page off before handing it to the badger. Verith took a pen out of his pocket and wrote down his cell phone number on the page, as well as some other information. "Here," he said before handing the paper back to Sherakh. "Those are my work hours, so you know when _not_ to call me," he added.

"Very smart," Sherakh noted. "Now, you guys aren't gonna try anything funny when the shipment comes in, right? I mean, if you try to rip me off, I know the guy who's taken over for Mister Big," Verith said. "Then why aren't you getting your supplies from _him?_ " Komo asked him snidely. "Look, that doesn't matter. If you rip me off, I'll let Koslov know that someone is moving in on his territory," Verith said.

"Like I care," Komo said flippantly. "I'm not afraid of polar bears," he added. "H-How... how do you know his species?" Verith asked him. "Sonny, this isn't the first time I've had operations in Zootopia," Komo said with a grin. Sherakh cleared his throat.

"Listen, just follow the instructions that are given to you when the product arrives, and there won't be any problems," Sherakh said. "When do I pay you?" Verith asked. "You will pay us when you receive the product, to put your mind at ease," Komo said. Verith mulled this over in his mind. "Okay. Okay, fair enough," he said, nodding his head.

"Now, is there anything else that needs to be discussed among us?" Komo asked. "No. Nothing," Verith said before he got up from his seat. "I'm... I'm gonna go home now," the badger said, trying to hide his nervousness at being around trained killers. He slowly began walking away, until Sherakh called out to him. "Oh, and Verith? Remember to watch your tongue when you pick up the product," the tiger said with a knowing smile.

Verith looked back at him and nodded his head nervously. "Y-Yeah. I'll... I'll keep my mouth in check," he said before resuming his walk toward the exit. Komo and Sherakh both watched him leave quietly.

"So, what was that little comment about?" Komo asked the tiger. "Oh, he insulted Mister Phoenix," Sherakh said. "I see," Komo said before turning his head to face the dingo. "John, is this true?" Komo asked him. Phoenix nodded his head. "Yes, sir. He's lucky that Mister Sherakh here warned him when he did," Phoenix said.

"I see," Komo said darkly. "Well, no matter. Let's enjoy ourselves for a little while, and then head back to the fishing warf," Komo said. "How long do you think it is until someone sees through that bogus fishing company front?" Sherakh asked him. "I honestly don't care. And it isn't bogus either. I have become _quite_ the fisherman since my release from prison," Komo replied.

"Besides, we should be more worried about the bank that our little antelope's father is using as a front for us," Komo said as he glanced over at the antelope, who had now been joined by a slightly older female gray wolf on the stage. Both females were engaged in an erotic show for their audience. "Daddy loves his little girl, and we know where she works _and_ where she lives. Mister Bosworth won't say anything to anyone," Sherakh said. "I know, Sherakh. That is my _point._ We really have nothing to worry about at this point in time," Komo said.

"What about your plans for the dynamic duo?" the tiger asked him. "Oh, I'm still planning that out. I just recently learned that they both now have offspring. I will have to change my plans considerably," Komo explained. "Just give me a long-range rifle and I'll avenge everyone in less than thirty seconds," Phoenix chimed in. " _No!_ They must _suffer_ before they die," Komo snarled in response.

"Hmm... well, if you want to play with your food first, I think I know of a fun way to do it. Have you ever played Simon Says?" Sherakh asked Komo. "What does that have to do with anything?" Phoenix asked him. "Oh, trust me. You'll have a blast making your prey dance to your tune with my plan," Sherakh said. "Hmm... tell me more," Komo said, causing Sherakh to smirk in delight before he began explaining the details of the plan to his boss and coworker.

When Sherakh was finished, Komo noddd his head and smiled. "How long will it take for you to have this whole thing set up?" he asked the tiger. "I need to perform a more intimate tour of the city to find the best possible locations for this little game. I may need at least one or two weeks to properly scout and then set up the devices," Sherakh said. "Of course, on the day that we launch the plan, some of them will need to be fresh. If we leave them unattended for too long, someone else may find them and derail the whole thing by accident," Sherakh said.

"Then so be it. However, I will be sending someone with you, to provide backup and serve as a lookout in case someone notices your activities," Komo said. Sherakh nodded his head in understanding and agreement. "When do we get started?" Phoenix asked. "Well," Sherakh started, looking over at Komo, "When do you want to get your revenge?"

Komo shifted his gaze to the table's surface as he thought about Sherakh's question. After a minute, the lizard finally looked back up at the tiger. "By next week. I'd like to make sure that we have everything planned out before we finally take action," Komo said thoughtfully.

Sherakh nodded his head in agreement, as did Phoenix. "In the meantime, make sure that Miss Eavesdropper over on that stage keeps her mouth shut. Her eyes and ears focus on things that they really shouldn't," Komo said as he glanced over at the two females on the stage. "Don't worry, we'll make sure that she gets the message," Phoenix said. "Yes, and we've already given her father plenty of warnings as well," Sherakh added.

"Good. Now, let's get something to eat," Komo said.

* * *

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One, Savanna Central**

Chief Bogo sat in his office, staring at his phone. It was already past 10:40 am, and while he had a large stack of paperwork to go through, he kept his attention trained on the small device in his hooves. Glancing over at said papers, Bogo sighed before placed his phone on the desk and grabbing the first sheet from the stack.

He spent the next five minutes working on over a dozen forms before his phone finally began to vibrate, causing him to reach over and check the number. "Hello?" he asked after seeing the caller ID on the display. " _Martin? Hey, it's me. John,_ " John Bosworth said over the phone.

"Hello, John. I'm sorry I didn't answer your calls sooner, but-" " _I-I understand. Um, listen, I have a favor to ask of you,_ " John said. "A favor? John, are you in some kind of trouble?" Bogo asked him. " _Not exactly me. It's... my eldest daughter, Christine,_ " Bosworth replied. "Has something happened to her? Is she missing?" Bogo asked him.

" _No, she's not missing. I just... I think that she's gotten herself or is in the process of getting herself into some trouble,_ " Bosworth said. "What kind of trouble?" Bogo asked him. " _Well, I... it's a bit difficult for me to talk about it, but... um, she... I-_ " "John, talk to me. What is it?" Bogo asked him. " _The other day, a package arrived in the mail addressed to her. My youngest daughter, Vanessa, found it and opened it. It was a movie, featuring Christine,_ " Bosworth said with a tone of sadness and even shame.

"Oh, she's an actress?" Bogo asked him. " _Not... exactly. The movie... was a pornographic video,_ " Bosworth said. "John, is Christine a legal adult?" Bogo asked. " _Yes, and I know that she's allowed to make her own decisions at her age, but... the video was also licensed by an escort service. You know what that means, Martin_." "Yes. I know what an escort service is," Bogo replied.

"Does your wife know about your daughter's line of work?" Bogo asked him. " _Not... necessarily. Christine also works as a... dancer of sorts at a club. My wife does know about that, but we don't like to talk about it. I... I was hoping that, perhaps, you could find her and maybe get her out of this,_ " Bosworth said. "John, she's a legal adult. I know it isn't easy having a daughter involved in that kind of business, but it's not necessarily illegal either," Bogo said. "Besides haven't you tried talking to her yourself?" Bogo asked him. " _We... haven't exactly been on speaking terms for the past month. I... I don't think that she'll listen to me,_ " Bosworth said sadly.

"Well, there isn't much that I can do," Bogo said. " _Please, I think that she's in trouble, Martin. I need you to help get her out of this and protect her,_ " Bosworth pleaded. "And what evidence do you have that she is actually in some kind of trouble?" Bogo asked him. " _There was a note inside the package, saying that she needs to keep her mouth shut, or the video and others like it will find their way to more people,_ " Bosworth said. " _That's blackmail. She's seen or overheard something that she wasn't supposed to, and somebody wants to keep her quiet,_ " Bosworth said.

"I want evidence of the note," Bogo said. " _I can give it to you. But, please, there's also something else that I need to talk to you about. I... I'd like to make sure that my daughter is safe first, though,_ " Bosworth said. "John? What else do I need to know?" Bogo asked. " _I-I can't say anymore right now. I have a meeting in a few minutes. Please, Martin, do something to protect Christine. Call me tonight and I can give you her phone number and the address for where she's currently staying. Just... remember, you owe me,_ " Bosworth said before hanging up.

"John? John? Dammit," Bogo muttered as he looked at the CALL ENDED message on his phone's screen. Taking a breath, Bogo let it back out through his nostrils in frustration before focusing his attention onto his paperwork once more. He soon heard his phone vibrate again, causing him to reach over for it to see a text message. Opening the message, Bogo saw that the text contained the phone number and living address of Christine Bosworth.

Closing his eyes, Bogo took another deep breath. He then reached over to press the intercom buzzer on his desk. "Wilde and Wilde, please report to my office," Bogo said over the intercom in a slightly weary manner. He waited a few minutes before the two officers entered the room. "Chief? You wanted to see us?" Judy asked him. "Yes, I... I'm wondering if there's something you'd be willing to look into," Bogo said as the bunny and fox sat down in front of his desk.

"An antelope named John Bosworth just called a little while ago, and he is need of some help," Bogo said. "Um... okay," Nick said, confused. "This stays between us, Sergeants. John Bosworth is an old friend of mine. His daughter, Christina Bosworth... is believed to be in some kind of trouble at her place of employment. Mr. Bosworth believes that he has found evidence of her being blackmailed for overhearing or seeing something that somebody wants to keep quiet," Bogo explained.

"Where does his daughter work?" Judy asked. "Well, first, I would like the two of you to go see Mr. Bosworth in person in order to get more information. I want to make certain that this isn't merely a case of a father being overprotective because he... feels ashamed of his daughter's line of work," Bogo said. "Ashamed? What's her line of work?" Judy asked. Nick, however, managed to figure out what Bogo meant very quickly, given his past.

"Is she a stripper?" Nick asked. "Yes. But... she also apparently works for an escort service as well," Bogo said. Nick's eyes widened considerably, while it took Judy another minute to figure out what Bogo meant. "Escort? You mean she's a prostitute?" she asked. "Yes, Carrots. That's... that's what escort services tend to entail," Nick said. "That's why Mr. Bosworth feels... ashamed. His daughter can make people feel better than he can," Nick said with a wry smile, causing Bogo to glare at him briefly.

"John-I mean, Mr. Bosworth, wants me to help get her out of this line of work, but seeing as she is a legal adult, there isn't much I can do other than talk to her," Bogo said. "What evidence does Mr. Bosworth have that his daughter is being blackmailed?" Nick asked. "A note was found alongside a pornographic video sent to his home, where his youngest daughter found the package," Bogo said. "What did the note say?" Judy asked. "Mr. Bosworth said that the note told Christina to stay quiet or else more videos would be sent to other people," Bogo explained.

"Wait, do the father and daughter both live at the same residence?" Nick asked. "I'm not entirely certain," Bogo said. "Bosworth said that he and his daughter have not been on speaking terms lately. I don't know if she has either moved out or is simply staying somewhere else temporarily," Bogo admitted.

"Um, that pornographic video... was it a random porno, or does it contain footage of Mister Bosworth's daughter?" Nick asked. "It contains footage of his daughter," Bogo replied. "So, Mr. Bosworth _has_ seen the video, then, correct? He can _confirm_ that the female depicted in the video is indeed his daughter and not someone who looks similar with careful editing?" Nick asked inquisitively.

"Yes, Wilde. Mr. Bosworth can confirm this," Bogo replied tiredly. "Does he have the video in his possession wherever he is currently located, or is it in a different location?" Nick asked. "I... I don't know. I didn't think to ask. I only asked about the note," Bogo replied. "Should we wear our blues or should we go there in something else?" Nick asked. "Take something casual with you when you go inside his office, but otherwise, make sure to wear your blues afterwards," Bogo said.

Nick and Judy both frowned at this. Something about Bogo's instructions didn't quite add up to them. "Sir, is there a reason you don't it to be obvious that the police are speaking with Mr. Bosworth?" Judy asked. "Nothing concrete, but... on the phone, he briefly mentioned that he wanted to speak to me about something else that he felt was important. He didn't give me any other details, so until he provides that information, I would like this whole thing to be as discrete as possible," Bogo said. "Um, sir? I know that we aren't the only bunny and fox officers on the force anymore, but, well... we're still going to stand out a bit," Nick said.

"Just be as discrete as you can be, please," Bogo said. "Wait, Chief? Why don't you send someone like Furrero or Gibson on this assignment?" Judy asked, prompting Bogo and Nick to both look at her incredulously. "Judy... why would you possibly think that _Gibson_ could be discrete?" Nick asked her. "Oh yeah. Good point," Judy said.

"Yes. And I can't send either of them anyway, since Captain Glover has them both working on an important assignment right now," Bogo said. "Besides... I trust the two of you," he added quietly. Nick and Judy both quietly nodded their heads in appreciation of the buffalo's admittance.

Judy was the first one to stand up. "I understand, sir. We'll keep this as quiet as we can until we can determine how much of Mr. Bosworth's concerns are grounded in factual evidence," Judy said firmly with a salute. Nick stood up and nodded his head in agreement. "Do you want us report back to you after we've spoken to Mr. Bosworth, or do you want us to go see his daughter afterwards?" Nick asked him.

"If the evidence is real... go see his daughter. Make sure to let me know what you've found before doing so, however," Bogo replied. Nick and Judy both nodded their heads in understanding. "Anything else, Chief?" Judy asked him. Bogo took a breath as he gave some thought to the question. "No. Just... just find out as much as you can," Bogo said after a minute.

Nick and Judy both saluted him. "Yes sir. Should we change into our casual clothes now or later?" Nick asked. "I don't care," Bogo replied. "Okay," Nick said nonchalantly, before he and Judy walked away and exited the office.

* * *

 **Curlhorn & Associates HQ, Downtown Savanna Central, Noon...**

John Bosworth looked up from the papers on his desk as the door to his office opened. He expected to see Martin Bogo, but instead he was greeted by a fox and a bunny. Recognizing the pair as the former poster officers for the ZPD and its various recruitment videos and pamphlets, the antelope frowned as he realized that Bogo had decided to send someone else to see him in his place, instead of handling things personally.

"So, Martin couldn't be bothered to help a friend out on his own, could he?" John Bosworth grumbled as Nick and Judy closed the door behind them. "The Chief has a lot on his plate today," Nick said. "I'm sure he does," Bosworth said sardonically. "Look, Chief Bogo sent us here to see the evidence of your daughter's blackmailing," Judy said.

"I couldn't bring it with me, but I'll be sure to send a copy to Martin when I clock out today," Bosworth said. "Sir, Chief Bogo wants to help you, but he wants to make certain that... you aren't simply trying to have your daughter change her employment because of how you feel towards it," Nick said carefully. "I do have the note with me," Bosworth said as he opened a drawer in his desk and retrieved a plastic bag with a folded notecard inside.

"Has anyone else seen the note?" Judy asked him. "No one except my youngest daughter," Bosworth replied sourly before placing the plastic bag on his desk. Nick got up and reached over to grab it, noticing ever so slightly the subtlely distrustful way that John Bosworth kept his eyes on him. "I'm not going to steal anything," Nick said calmly as he retrieved the bag.

"I never said that you would," Bosworth said. Judy cleared her throat to grab both males' attention. "Gentlemen, please. Mr. Bosworth, is the address that you provided to Chief Bogo the current residential address for your daughter, or is it simply a place where is staying temporarily?" Judy asked. "It's... where she's staying," Bosworth replied hesitantly.

While Judy was speaking with John Bosworth, Nick looked at the note in the bag.

 **SPEAK TO ANYONE, AND YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND FAMILY WILL SEE MORE LIKE THIS.**

Nick frowned as he read the note. He looked at how the words were spaced, and saw what looked like a strange blur on parts of the letter. _White-out_ , Nick thought to himself as he glanced up at Bosworth. _What are you hiding from us, Mister Bosworth?_

Eventually, Bosworth noticed that Nick was staring at him, and he broke off his conversation with Judy. "Is something troubling you, Officer Wilde?" Bosworth asked him. "It's _Sergeant_ Wilde, Mr. Bosworth. But, no, nothing is bothering me," Nick replied. "Uh, may we keep this note, for evidence?" Nick asked him.

Bosworth almost froze before replying. "Yes. I... see no reason to keep this from you. It is, after all, proof that my daughter is in trouble," Bosworth said. Nick and Judy both nodded their heads. "Please be sure to send that video to the ZPD as soon as you can, Mr. Bosworth. It will help us considerably," Judy said. "Of course," Bosworth said, nodding his head.

"Is there... anything else that you'd like to know?" Bosworth asked after a moment. "Yes. How long ago did you and your daughter stop speaking to each other?" Nick asked, earning a cursory glance from Judy. "That was... we had an argument, a very heated argument, about her line of work, and I... I said some things to her that I... _really_ shouldn't have said," Bosworth said with a tone of regret in his voice.

"Yes, but how _long ago?_ " Nick reiterated. "Almost a month ago," Bosworth replied, shamefully looking away from the two cops. "Have you tried speaking with her since then?" Judy asked him. "I... I tried once. I gave up after that," Bosworth admitted shamefully. He then looked at the two officers pleadingly. "Please... tell her that I'm sorry. I... I don't think that she'll want to hear me say anything to her in person, so please... just let her know that I love her," Bosworth asked.

"We'll see what we can do," Judy said with a firm nod of her head. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Bosworth," Nick said with a curt nod as he and Judy stood up. "We'll make sure to let you know what we find out," he added before he and Judy opened the door and left the room.

* * *

After Nick and Judy had returned to the squad car, parked almost a block away from the bank, the duo sat in contemplative silence until Nick finally opened the plastic bag and took out the letter. "He's lying to us," Nick said, causing Judy to raise an eyebrow. "About what?" she asked him. "I'm not entirely sure. _But_ , I know white-out when I see it. I don't know for certain if it was added by him or by whoever sent the note, but once we arrive at where his daughter is staying, we'll be able to find out for sure," Nick explained.

"Nick? What are you trying to say?" Judy asked him. "I'll tell you after we deal with his daughter," he answered. Judy frowned, but otherwise remained silent, before her ears perked up. "Oh! We almost forgot to call Chief Bogo," Judy said as she took her phone out of her pocket and dialed Bogo's cell number.

" _Hello?_ " Bogo asked. "Chief? Listen, we just finished speaking with Mister Bosworth. He gave us the note, and it looks like it has white-out marks on it. We don't know when it was applied or by whom," Judy said. " _What about the video?_ " Bogo asked her.

"Mister Bosworth said that he left the video at home. He'll try to deliver it to you or the station later this evening," Judy replied. Nick glanced over at her. "Hey, tell him that the guy is hiding something from us," Nick said. Judy looked at him and held up a finger in front of her mouth, gesturing for him to shush.

" _Sergeant?_ " Bogo asked. "Nothing, Chief. Nick was just mouthing off," Judy replied. " _I see. Since the note is real, please proceed to investigate his daughter's residence and find out what you can about her situation. Again, please try to be discrete about this,_ " Bogo requested. "We'll do our best, Chief. We'll talk to you again later. Bye," Judy said before hanging up.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Nick asked his wife. "We don't know for certain. The antelope's behavior could just be a sign of him feeling guilt over how he treated his daughter," Judy replied. "Oh, and he doesn't trust foxes," Nick said. "Nick," Judy said. "No, you saw the way he kept eyeing me," Nick retorted.

"I know," Judy said solemnly. "You'd think that after how long we've been on the force, and after how much we've done..." Nick trailed off with a frown. "I know, Honey. I'm... I'm sorry," Judy said before she placed a paw on one of his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Come on, let's go see Miss Stripper," Judy said, surprising Nick.

"Uh... I think that's supposed to be _my line_ ," Nick said. "Life's just full of surprises, isn't it?" Judy asked him in response. Nick smirked at her. "I guess it is," he said softly. Judy nodded her head with a grin and started the engine of the car before pulling out into traffic and driving away, neither of them noticing the animal on a nearby rooftop with a pair of binoculars and a walkie-talkie.

* * *

 **High Hooves Apartment Complex, Savanna Central...**

Pulling into a spot in the outdoor parking lot, Nick and Judy looked at the very nice multi-floor apartment building, with orange and cream-colored roof and wall sections blending together alongside various solar panel sections. "Geez, what a nice and expensive place for a struggling young hooker to stay at temporarily," Nick said sarcastically before he and Judy got out of the car. "Come on, Nick. She'll probably end up moving back in with her father in a few more days," Judy said as they locked the doors and walked towards the entrance of the building.

"Hey... is this one of the places that we checked out when I was looking for a new place to live a while back?" Nick asked as they walked closer to the building's entrance. "I don't think so," Judy said. "Besides... I don't remember all of the places that we visited that day," she added.

"I remember spending the night with Furrero," Nick said, prompting Judy to glare at him. "What? We weren't together back then. Besides, it was a one night stand," Nick said in his defense. "Just don't bring that up too often, or you're sleeping on the couch," Judy said.

"Alright, alright. I suppose you're right. After all, I'd hate to have to explain what a one-night stand is to the kids before they hit puberty," Nick said as they approached the front doors of the building. Pushing the doors open and walking inside, the pair looked around at the lobby of the building, seeing both predator and prey alike milling around, with a mother zebra and her two children talking to a white tail deer doe as her glasses-wearing fawn stood behind her, playing with a small Sudoku puzzle book.

A fallow deer buck in a suit stood in the corner, talking to a pig electrician as he kneeled in front of an elevator with yellow tape in front of the doors, using a screwdriver to open an electrical panel on the side. Exiting one of the working elevators were a small group of three lionesses and two female leopards, all of whom were heading out of the lobby and over to the residential parking garage. Walking over to the landlord's office, Nick knocked on it a few times before a middle-aged female kudu opened the door.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked politely. "Uh, yes. We're here to see someone who's staying with a tenant of yours. Her father asked us to check on her, as she hasn't been home for a few days, and he's worried sick," Nick said as vaguely yet truthfully as possible. "May I have a name?" the kudu asked him. "Uh, yes. It's Christina Bosworth," Nick said.

"Christina... Bosworth? Yes, she's here. And what's the name of her guest?" the kudu asked. "Wait... Christina Bosworth is a _tenant?_ " Nick asked her. "Well, yes. I don't really ask the names of guests unless they've been here for more than a week, but Miss Bosworth is a full tenant. She's been here for over a year," the kudu said. "Uh, tell me, Miss..." "Hunsacker. Missus Tabitha Hunsacker," the kudu replied.

"Yes, Mrs. Hunsacker, are you sure that Christina's been living here for more than just a month?" Nick asked her. "Well of course. I have copies of the lease and records of rent payments in my office," Mrs. Hunsacker said. "And which apartment has she been residing in?" Judy asked her.

"May I ask what this is about?" Mrs. Hunsacker asked skeptically in return. "Yes. Um, here," Nick said as he took out his badge and ID, prompting Judy to do the same. "Is Miss Bosworth in some kind of trouble?" Mrs. Hunsacker asked them. "That's what we're here to find out. Her father told us that she had left home only a month ago after a nasty argument," Nick said. "I see. Family drama," she said with a wry smile on her face. "Well, I can assure you that Miss Bosworth has been living here for at least fifteen months, starting last June," Mrs. Hunsacker said.

"Could you please retrieve those lease and rent documents for us?" Judy asked her. "Of course," Tabitha replied before retreating into her office. A couple minutes later, she returned with copies of the lease and a paper showing the rent payment. Nick and Judy both took a hold of the documents and read them over. "I told you Mister Bosworth was lying to us," Nick said with a shit-eating grin as he turned his head to look at his wife's face.

"Is she available to speak with us at the moment?" Nick asked her as he and Judy returned the documents to the kudu. "I don't know," Mrs. Hunsacker replied as she held the documents under her arm. "I guess we'll just have to go up and find out, won't we?" Nick asked. "I'll come along with you," Mrs. Hunsacker said.

"If you insist," Nick said. "This is my building. Without a warrant, you can't search anything unless you have my permission or an invitation," Mrs. Hunsacker said. "You're sharp," Nick commented. "Nick, don't antagonize the landlord," Judy said. "I'm not," Nick whined.

"Come on, follow me," Mrs. Hunsacker said before gesturing for the two officers to follow her as she walked over to an elevator.

After making their way upstairs, the trio briskly made their way over to the apartment. Mrs. Hunsacker knocked on the door. "Miss Bosworth? It's your landlord. There are two animals here to see you. They claim that your father wants them to talk to you," Mrs. Hunsacker said through the door.

There was no response. Tabitha held her hooves under her chin, before she smacked herself in the head. "Of course! She's at work right now!" she exclaimed with a chuckle. "I'm sorry, officers, but she won't be back until later in the day," Mrs. Hunsacker said. "That's okay. Will you call to let us know when she _does_ return, though? Even though we'll be off duty, we can still speak to her, as her father is a close friend of someone who is also close to us. We... sort of owe him a favor," Judy fibbed.

Tabitha nodded her head. "I understand, dear. Who's phone number should I call? Yours or the department?" she asked. "Um, ours. We're... trying to keep this low profile, because... well, we still aren't entirely certain that this situation truly warrants police involvement just yet. At least, not until we've gathered all available evidence. For now... we simply know that a father and daughter had an argument and haven't seen or talked to each other in over a month," Judy explained before taking out a note pad and writing down the number for her spare throw-away track phone.

"If anything seems wrong or off when she returns, please let us know, and behave as you normally do around her," Judy said. "Very well. Hopefully this is just a family quarrel gone overboard," Tabitha said. "We hope so too," Judy said with a nod before she and Nick turned around and walked away, leaving Mrs. Hunsacker to shake her head with a sigh.

Heading back down to the lobby, Judy slumped against the walls of the elevator with a sigh. "I think this is a bust Nick," she said. "Not quite," Nick said. "Please. It's obvious that Mr. Bosworth lied about when his daughter left home because he doesn't want to let her go, and the last time she visited him, they had an argument about her... line of work, and she simply hasn't spoken to her since then," Judy said.

"Maybe at first glance, but one thing doesn't add up," Nick said. "And what's that?" Judy asked him. "The tape and the note. We don't know about the tape, but, supposing that it _is_ real, why would it be sent to Mr. Bosworth's residence?" Nick asked before the elevator stopped and the doors opened. "If Christina Bosworth has been living in this joint for well over a year, then her employers would know about that, and if they were trying to blackmail her, they wouldn't send the stuff to her father's home. They'd send it to _her_ , and then send it elsewhere if she decides to push her luck," Nick explained as they walked through the lobby and out the front doors.

"So... do you think Mr. Bosworth forged that note himself?" Judy asked him. "That... that's the tricky part, because the note could mean one of three things. A, Mister Bosworth made it up and used his connections to Bogo to try getting his daughter to leave her line of work and speak to him again. B, that note is real and it was sent to Mr. Bosworth's home after Christina had _already_ received a warning of her own because she saw or heard something and had ignored it. Or C, that note and video were sent to Mr. Bosworth's home as a warning to _him_ because of something that he knows," Nick said.

"There's no way that it was sent to his home by accident in any scenario," Nick said as he and Judy made their way over to the car. "But... what about the white-out?" Judy asked him. "That's either him covering up a mistake, or it's him covering up something that mentioned him so that we would miss the implications," Nick explained. "Hmm... you know, that actually makes a lot of sense," Judy said as they reached the car and unlocked it before getting inside the front of the vehicle.

"Now the question remains: which scenario is it?" Nick postulated as he and Judy buckled their seat belts. "If it's scenario A, then we get to yell at Mr. Bosworth for wasting our time. If it's scenario B, then we really do need to talk with Christina Bosworth and find out who's blackmailing her. And if it's scenario C, then we've stumbled onto something that's bigger than what it seems," Nick said.

"It's probably scenario C, isn't it?" Judy asked him as she started the engine. "Given how things usually have turned out for us in the past, it probably is," Nick said drlyly. Judy nodded her head before pulling the squad car out of the parking space and making a K-turn to leave the parking lot and return to the main road.

Judy handed her phone over to Nick. "Call the chief. Tell him what we've found," she said. Nick grabbed the phone and dialed Bogo's cell number. " _Hello?_ " Bogo asked as he answered the call.

"Hey, Chief. We just scouted the address that Christina Bosworth has been staying at. We spoke with the landlord a while ago, and it turns out that Miss Bosworth has actually been a _tenant_ for at least fifteen months," Nick reported. " _I see. What about the note and the video?_ " Bogo asked him. "Well, that's where things get a little tricky, Chief. We have three possibilities here. Either A, Mr. Bosworth fabricated everything as an excuse to make you convince his daughter to find a line of work, or B, the note and package are real and it was sent to her father's house as warning about something, because she and her father have been keeping her line of work a secret from everyone and this could ruin them," Nick continued. " _What's the final option?_ " Bogo asked him. "Well, for C, the note and video were _intended_ for _Mr. Bosworth_ himself because someone found out that he knows something that he shouldn't," Nick finished explaining.

" _Do you have proof to support any of these scenarios?_ " Bogo asked him. "Well, the note, Christina Bosworth's tenant status, Mr. Bosworth's lies, and Christina Bosworth's line of work," Nick listed. " _Yes. They all do lend themselves to either of those three options, don't they? Did either of you speak with Christina herself?_ " Bogo asked him. "No. She wasn't home when we arrived," Nick replied.

" _In that case, until you can speak with her, do not discount anything until more information is collected. No jumping to conclusions either. Simply gather information and work from there. And, again, please try to be as discrete as you can in this situation,_ " Bogo requested. "I understand, Chief. We'll do our best. Do you want us to head back to the station right now and finish our other work, or do you want us to stay out here?" Nick asked in response.

" _Return to the station for now. That paperwork isn't going to be passed onto someone else. I want it done. I'll see you both later. Bye,_ " Bogo said before hanging up. "What a swell guy," Nick said facetiously. Judy sighed and rolled her eyes. "What?" Nick asked her. "Nothing," she said. "Oh, the Chief said that we also need to finish our paperwork when we get back," Nick said.

"Thank you, Darling," Judy said dryly. "I thought you liked paperwork," Nick said. "I never said that I _liked_ paperwork. I just don't _dislike_ it, Nick. There's a difference," she said as she drove them back to the station.

 **High Hooves Apartment Complex, Later That Night...**

Laying back on her bed with a relaxed and satiated sigh, Christina Bosworth looked over at her girlfriend, a gray wolf named Dina Wendel. Dina was already sluggishly getting some pills out of her purse and putting them on the table next to the bed. "To enhance the euphoria," Dina said with an (unnoticeable to Christina) apologetic smile.

Christina smiled and took the pills from her friend's paw before popping them in her mouth. "They taste different from the usual uppers," she said. "They're a new brand," Dina said, purposefully looking away from Christina as she spoke.

Getting off of the bed, Dina began slowly walking away. "Hey, where are you going?" Christina asked with a giggle. "I gotta use the toilet," Dina replied as she walked over to the bathroom, leaving Christina alone. Soon, Christina began to feel very tired.

After several more minutes, the effects of some of the pills began to take hold. Feeling weightless, Christina rolled around and eventually got off of her bed before walking over to the balcony that overlooked the parking lot and driveway in front of the building. Smiling giddily, Christina grabbed onto the safety railing and lifted herself up to get a better view of the distorted world around her. Soon, however, she went too far and lost her grip.

Despite the terrifying reality of what was happening, Christina still had a smile on her face as she plunged to the Earth below, her world going black as she hit the roof of a small beaver's car, crushing it and setting off the alarm. Soon, several of the building's tenants were awakened from their sleep by the alarms going off, including the owner of the car. Back up in her room, Dina was sitting on the toilet, her head in her paws, sobbing her eyes out as she dialed a special number on her cell phone.

" _Yes, my dear?_ " a deep voice asked. "I [sob] did-did it. She-She's gone. P-Promise me you-you'll let my family alone?" Dina asked with shaky breaths. " _Of course, my dear. You did your part. Now, all you have to do is make sure that everyone believes it to be an accident. Then, everything will be okay. Just try to stay calm. Remember, you were in the bathroom when it happened. There was no way that you could have stopped her,_ " the voice said.

Dina nodded her head. " _Goodbye, Dina. Remember, just do as instructed, and everything will be fine. Farewell for the night,_ " the voice said before hanging up. Setting her phone on the counter, Dina slowly stood up, feeling queasy and her legs shaking uncontrollably, before turning around, lifting up the toilet seat and kneeling down to puke her guts out on horror, guilt, and sorrow.

"Chrissy, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Dina cried over and over again between each regurgitation into the toilet. When she was finished, she fell back against the floor and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, since this is probably going to be the last entry in the Reckless Endangerment series, I've decided that I'm gonna end it with a bang. I'm gonna pull out all the stops, nothing will be sacred, and I'm going to reference my favorite action movies in whatever ways I think will work for the story. Am I going to incorporate plot elements from _Die Hard With A Vengeance_ (1995) at some point? Absolutely, and I'm going to try to make it as fun as possible for everyone reading it.

Now, I know what you're thinking. How can I possibly take plot elements from _Lethal Weapon_ (1987) and _Die Hard With A Vengeance_ (1995) and make a coherent story? Well, you'll just have to read and find out.

Also, remember that this series uses the International Fixed Calendar system, with 13 months and 28 days each, with a few days not belonging to any month.

Be sure to let me know what you think of the chapter and the story so far in your reviews.

Also, since no one left new reviews for my other non-Zootopia works (aside from The Thing) I am changing the title of chapter 4 to Jingle All The Way With The Kranks, so that every time you read that chapter title, you will be reminded of two of the worst Christmas movies ever made. That is your punishment.


	7. Grief, Anguish, Regret And Secrets

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

* * *

 **Chapter 06: Grief, Anguish, Regret... And Secrets**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, July 10th, 2030

 **Downtown Savanna Central, Zootopia**

Driving down the road, Nick and Judy noticed a number of police vehicles and an ambulance parked near the sidewalk and outside parking area for the High Hooves Apartment Complex. "This doesn't look good," Nick said as Judy parked the cruiser along the side of the road. "Carrots, I think we should stay put and just wait for instructions," Nick said.

"Nick, I have a very bad feeling that we're about to get involved either way," Judy said as she turned off the engine and unbuckled her seat belt. "Hey, wait!" Nick called out as Judy exited the vehicle. He quickly got out and followed her as she made her way over to the entrance way, where a young female gray wolf was standing between two other patrol officers, one of whom was a lion while the other was a ram.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Judy asked as she approached them. "We had a jumper here last night, and this lady says that she saw the whole thing," the lion, who Judy recognized as Stan Jurro, said. The ram, Lorenzo Woolsworth, nodded his head in agreement.

"What's your name?" Judy asked the wolf. "Dina Wendel," she replied. "She's a hooker," Woolsworth said. "You claim that you saw what happened? Did you already give a statement to these two officers here?" Judy asked her. "Yes, now can you please just let me go?" Dina asked. Judy noticed that the wolf's eyes looked bloodshot.

"Go on, guys. She's already given you her statement, hasn't she?" Judy asked. "Yes, Sergeant Wilde," Jurro said. "Then why are you detaining her?" Judy asked. "We were just waiting for other witnesses to say something," Woolsworth said.

"Well, until that happens, you should let her go. Just make sure that you have her address and a way to reach her, so that she can be questioned again if needed," Judy said. Jurro took out his notebook and showed it to Judy. "Oh my god. Just let her go already," Judy said in an annoyed tone.

"Alright, we'll drive her home," Jurro said. "So... who jumped?" Nick asked as he looked over at where the ambulance was parked. "A young female antelope. All the way from the fifth floor," Woolsworth said as he and Jurro escorted Dina into their squad car. "Make sure that Miss Wendel here gets something to eat and rest. She looks tired," Nick said as he observed the way the wolf held herself.

"Thanks," Dina said tiredly. "Yeah. No problem. All dressed up and no one to blow, right?" Nick asked her, causing the female to glare at him. "Yeah. You're real fucking funny, you know that?" Dina spat sarcastically at him as she got into the squad car. Judy grabbed Nick by the arm and jerked him to the side.

"Nick, what the hell was that?" Judy asked him angrily. "I don't know. Something... doesn't seem right. Did you see her eyes?" Nick asked his wife. "Yes, I saw them. She was probably traumatized from the sight of what happened," Judy responded with a frown. "Are you sure? I saw the fur under her eyes. It looked like it had been wet for a while. Like she was crying," Nick said.

"Then what the hell was that insulting remark for?" Judy asked him in disbelief. "I was just trying to see how she'd react," Nick replied. Judy shook her head. "Nick, just be quiet and let me do the talking from now on," Judy said grumpily before she walked away and made a B-line for the ambulance.

As she arrived at the scene, forensics workers had already set up shop and where securing the area, marking things and taking pictures. Seeing an onager dressed in a suit, Judy walked up to him. "Excuse me, but who's in charge here?" Judy asked him. "I'm the head of the unit here, Sergeant," the onager replied. "What do you need?" he asked her.

"Who jumped?" she asked him as she looked over and saw the crushed station wagon. A middle-aged male beaver was standing nearby, distraught over the destruction of his vehicle while his insurance agent was busy talking to him. "Did you hear what I said?" the onager asked as Judy looked away from the beaver.

"Huh?" Judy asked him. "I said the jumper was a female antelope, aged twenty-two years," he said. "Name?" Judy asked him. "Christina Bosworth," he said as he looked at his notes. "We found her driver's license in her apartment, with permission from the landlord, along with some pills on her night stand. She took the trip of a lifetime," the onager said.

"Uh-huh. Wait, did you say... Bosworth?" Judy asked the onager. Behind her, Nick was staring up at the balcony before looking back down at the car, and then over at the beaver, who was now arguing with his insurance agent. Nick then returned his attention to Judy and the onager.

"Yes. Christina Bosworth," the onager said. "Parents?" Judy asked. "Um, yes. She was never orphaned," the onager joked. Nick and Judy both frowned at him. "Uh, right. Anyway, yes, her parents are a John Bosworth and a Michelle Bosworth," the onager said. "Well, I guess you were right, Carrots. We _were_ gonna get involved at some point. We always do," Nick said.

"I'm sorry, but... do you know the deceased in some way?" the onager asked them. "We were... investigating a claim made by her father regarding her most recent employer and her current living residence," Judy replied vaguely. "Hm. Sorry about that, although... you guys aren't detectives, are you?" the onager asked. "Chief Bogo put us on this case personally," Nick said.

"I see. Well, I'll make sure that the coroner report gets to you when it's done," the onager said. Nick and Judy both nodded their heads before walking away, with Judy taking out her cell phone and calling Chief Bogo. "Chief? Um, listen... Christina Bosworth... jumped out of a window last night," Judy said.

"Chief?" Judy asked when she heard no response. " _I heard you, Sergeant,_ " Bogo replied. "Sir, do you want us to relay the news to Mister Bosworth?" Judy asked. " _Yes. You've been to the scene, correct?_ " Bogo asked. "Y-Yes, Chief. We'll make sure to only disclose what's obvious to the public until more information is gathered," Judy said. " _Thank you, Sergeant Wilde. I'll... I'll make sure to talk to him as well when I get the chance. Go inform Bosworth of what's happened, and then come back to the station. I'm going to put someone else on this after you return. I'd rather not drag the two of you through this any longer. Thank you for all that you've done. Bye,_ " Bogo said before hanging up the phone.

"So... what do we do?" Nick asked Judy as they walked back to the cruiser. "We go talk to Mr. Bosworth, return to the station, and then let Bogo put someone else on the case," Judy said in a slightly melancholy fashion. Nick looked at his wife with concern. "Carrots? Are you okay? Normally, you'd protest being taken off of an assignment," Nick said.

"I'm just... tired is all. Sometimes... I don't know. I mean, think about it. We're not full detectives, Nick. Bogo is technically correct. It might actually be better for everyone if he puts someone else on the assignment," Judy said as they reached the cruiser. "Carrots... are you... is this because someone's child is involved?" Nick asked her.

Judy looked at him with a forlorn expression. "Maybe. I just... I can't help but think about what might happen to our own kids when they grow up. Will they be able to find a job? What if nobody will hire them? What if we have to support them our entire lives because no one else will, and because no one will give them a chance to support themselves? What if they have to turn to something unsavory in order to make ends meet?" Judy asked him fearfully.

Nick reached over and pulled his wife into a hug. "It's okay, Judy. It's gonna be okay," he whispered into her ears. "Nick, what if _this_ happens to one of our kids one day?" Judy asked him worriedly. "It won't. We'll make sure of it," Nick replied firmly, hugging his wife tighter.

"But how?" Judy asked him. "We teach them. We're parents, Judy. We teach them how to survive in the world. We teach them how to be careful. We _teach them_ ," Nick said. Judy slowly nodded her head in understanding and agreement. "We don't try to scare them, but we don't coddle them either. We find a method that works, and we stick to it," he added before letting go. "Now, let's go to the station," he said.

Judy nodded her head with an appreciative smile and started the engine. "Ah! Seat belts!" she said as she made sure to buckle hers and Nick's. "Thanks, Judy," Nick said facetiously. "Icky Nicky, stop whining," Judy said with a smirk. "Did you just call me... Icky Nicky?" Nick asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Mm-hm. I _did_ ," Judy said proudly. "Huh," Nick said before turning his attention to the road as Judy pulled the car out and onto the road again, merging with traffic and driving them back to the station. "So... can I call you Duty Judy?" Nick asked half-way to the station. "Yes," Judy replied after a moment of silence.

* * *

 **Hours Later, at Curlton & Associates Corporate Office, Down Town Savanna Central...**

John Bosworth looked at the two police officers in front of him. "Are you... certain... that it was her?" he asked, taking a deep breath as he felt the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Judy nodded her head solemnly. "I'm sorry, sir," she said quietly. John let out a cross between a cough and a laugh as he turned around and walked back over to his desk.

"I... I never got to tell her... that I was sorry," he said regretfully. He reached into his desk and pulled out a picture of his daughter, wearing her high school graduation outfit, with the rest of the family standing around her. "I never told her... that I was sorry," Bosworth whispered with a shudder before he put the picture down on his desk.

"John, maybe you should take the day off," Michael Curlton, a gerenuk who was also the CEO of the company, suggested. "Th-Thank you, but I... I need some time to process this," Bosworth said as he slumped into his chair, trying to keep his tears from spilling out. "Do you know why she jumped?" he asked the two officers. "We... are still gathering evidence at this time. When we know more, we'll make sure that you are informed," Nick said carefully.

"Of course," Bosworth said with a shudder. "I... please, I need to be alone for a bit," he said as he looked up at the officers and his boss. "When you're ready to go home, let me know," Curlton said as he ushered Nick and Judy out of the office. John watched them leave before Curlton closed the door behind them. He grabbed a pillow from his chair and pressed it to his face as he started crying over the news of his daughter's death.

* * *

Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2030

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One, Savanna Central**

Walking into his office after finishing the morning briefing, Chief Bogo sat down at his desk with a sigh. He'd had very little sleep the night before, and he was still very tired now. Looking at a stack of unfinished paperwork on his desk, he grabbed a sheet and a pen before getting to work, focusing on his job instead of the grief and regret that he was feeling for his friend.

Bogo glanced up from his paperwork as he heard a noise from his desk computer. Looking at the mail icon on the screen, he quickly logged into the department mail server and looked at the newest entry to his inbox. "Well, that was fast," he said with a sigh, just before the phone on his desk rang. Picking up the phone, Bogo heard the voice of the chief medical examiner, Samantha Blackspot, a snow leopard.

"Sam?" Bogo asked. " _Chief, you wanted me to call you as soon as the autopsy and forensics reports were finished, right? Well, I've sent you an e-mail with all of the details on our homicide,_ " Samantha said. "Wait, don't you mean _suicide?_ " Bogo asked her. " _Nope. Not with what we found in her system, unless she deliberately wanted to put drain cleaner in her veins,_ " Samantha replied.

"I'll call you back after I look at the e-mail," Bogo said before hanging up the phone. Opening the e-mail, Bogo read the autopsy report, before his eyes widened. "What the... hell?" he asked himself as he read the report. "So Sam was right. This _wasn't_ a suicide... this was _murder_ ," he muttered as he looked at the report on the pills found at the scene of the crime. "John... what the hell were you and your daughter really getting yourselves into?" Bogo asked himself quietly.

Bogo quickly picked up the phone and called Captain Glover. " _Yes, Chief?_ " the feline asked him tiredly. "Are Gibson and Furrero done on that assignment yet?" Bogo asked him. " _Yeah. They're just finishing their reports. Why?_ " Glover asked in reply.

"I have another assignment for them," Bogo replied darkly. " _Martin... I know that tone of voice you're using. Whatever is going on, you need to distance yourself from it. You're the Chief of Police, so act like it,_ " Glover said. "Martin... do you remember my friend John Bosworth?" Bogo asked the panther.

" _Bosworth? Yeah, I remember him. Has something happened?_ " Glover asked him. "His daughter died last night after jumping off a balcony. I just got the autopsy report in my e-mail," Bogo replied. " _Give me three hours. Furrero and Gibson will have their reports finished by then. I'll send them your way after that. And Martin... tell John that I'm sorry for his loss,_ " Glover said. "I'll be sure to let him know," Bogo said.

He then called up Samantha's phone again. " _Yes, Chief?_ " she asked him. "Sam, was the amount of those substances in Christina's body enough to kill her if she hadn't fallen onto that car?" Bogo asked her. " _Yes, Chief. Unless she were to have regurgitated that shit before ten minutes, she was going to die inside of an hour, regardless of whether she'd jumped or not. I'm sorry, but this wasn't suicide. Also, did you read the rest of that report? The state of that bed indicated that someone else was there with the victim that night. There were also some fur samples collected, as well as various bodily fluids and stains on the walls and... pretty much everywhere. Don't know if those were from that night in particular or if Miss Bosworth just didn't clean up very often after a wild night. Anyway, the furs are being analyzed, but there's nothing conclusive just yet. I'll be sure to let you know when the analysis is done,_ " Samantha said.

"Yes, thank you, Sam. Oh, by the way, how're the kids?" Bogo asked her. " _They're fine. Hubby's finally healed his leg and can get back to the office now,_ " Samantha replied. "That's good to hear. You take care of your kids when you can, Samantha," Bogo said. " _Chief, I know. Trust me, I know. I appreciate the sentiment, though. Bye,_ " Samantha said before hanging up.

 **Three Hours Later...**

Cynthia Furrero and Roger Gibson opened the door and entered Bogo's office. "Glover said that you wanted to see us?" Furrero asked. "Yes, please sit down," Bogo replied. Furrero and Gibson both took seats across from Bogo's desk.

"I have a... special case that I'd like the two of you to look into," Bogo said before retrieving the evidence that Nick and Judy had collected and given to him the other day. "The case involves the daughter of a close friend of mine. The victim's name is Christina Bosworth, and since I know the family, looking into this myself could be... problematic. I need someone who is neutral to continue this investigation," Bogo said.

"Just what all evidence has been collected and analyzed?" Furrero asked him. "Everything that you see in the file," Bogo replied. "It's only been two days. This can't be completely comprehensive," Gibson said as he held the file in his paws. "Forensics is still working on other pieces of evidence, such as fur samples and paw prints. However, everything else that has been looked at is in the file," Bogo said.

"Okay," Furrero said, nodding her head. "Uh, where exactly do you want us to start?" Gibson asked the cape buffalo. "I'd suggest that you talk with Mr. Bosworth himself first."

* * *

 **Hours Later, at Curlton & Associates Corporate Office, Down Town Savanna Central...**

John Bosworth took a breath and furrowed his brows as he processed what the coywolf and lion in front of him had just said. "M-Murdered?" he asked the two detectives. "Yes. Half of the pills found in her room had been doctored and filled with poisonous substances. Even if Christina hadn't jumped, she would still be dead," Furrero said sadly. "Is there a reason that Martin doesn't just tell me these things himself? He has my phone number," Bosworth said bitterly. "Wait, Martin Bogo or Martin Glover?" Gibson asked.

"Bogo," Bosworth said. "Look, Mr. Bosworth, we really are sorry about your loss, but we need to know; was there anyone who Christina was associated with who might want to hurt her?" Furrero asked. "What happened to the fox and the hare?" Bosworth asked. "They're patrol officers who simply happened upon the scene. We, on the other paw, are seasoned detectives," Gibson said.

"Then what was with the plain clothes and the questioning?" Bosworth asked. "Um... I don't follow you," Furrero said, confused. "I guess it doesn't matter," Bosworth said with a sigh. "I just... I tried calling Martin so many times over the weekend to ask him to help her. To get her out of that business," Bosworth said sourly.

"Mr. Bosworth, you still haven't answered my earlier question," Furrero said. "Do you know of anyone who your daughter associated with who may have wanted to hurt her?" she repeated, firmly this time. "She always got along well with other animals. I don't know any names, but I know that someone tried blackmailing her to keep quiet over something that she saw or heard," Bosworth said.

"Okay. But, there are a few details that we need to have cleared up. See, you told Sergeants Wilde and Wilde that your daughter had just left home over a month ago, but the lease and rent payment records at that apartment show that your daughter had been living there for over a year," Gibson said, his eyes narrowing.

"Whoever your daughter worked for had to have known that she wasn't living at home with you anymore, so that video you received couldn't have been meant for her," Gibson said. "We stopped speaking to each other for a month," Bosworth said.

"After having an argument, but what exactly did that argument entail?" Gibson asked him. "I already said that it was over her line of work. At first, I thought that she had done what she was doing because she needed the money. I would have helped her if she had let me, but then I found out that... she enjoyed... dancing around that pole," Bosworth replied. "She... enjoyed being with... certain clients," he added, frowning.

"She... I learned the other month that she had gotten into a relationship with someone, but she wouldn't tell me anything about them," Bosworth said. "I got into an argument with her when she finally revealed who her lover was, and I... I went to her work place and confronted her in person. While I was there, I... she told me that she wanted to talk, not just about her lover, but about something else," Bosworth explained.

"We discussed her lover first, and I lost my composure. Someone must've overheard part of the argument, and thought that she had told me about whatever the other secret was. That's why... why they tried to blackmail her," Bosworth said. "And you. They tried to blackmail you into keeping quiet as well," Furrero said.

Bosworth sighed. "Yes. But I _didn't_ hear what it was that she had seen or heard. Someone jumped to conclusions and... now my little girl is dead," Bosworth said. "Do you know _who_ could have done it, though?" Gibson asked him. "No, I don't. I never met her boss at the club or the place where... hookers... work," Bosworth said. "What about her... lover?" Gibson asked him.

"I don't know. I never took the chance to get to know her," Bosworth said. "I just blew up and practically disowned my daughter after learning the identity of her lover, so I never had the chance to get to know her," Bosworth explained. "Her?" Gibson asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah. She... she's a canid of some kind. I didn't pay enough attention after I lost my cool. I'm sorry," Bosworth said.

"Listen, when you see Martin again, tell him that he's invited to the viewing," Bosworth said. Both detectives nodded their heads. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Bosworth," Furrero said before they left the office. Both officers remained silent until they left the building and reached Gibson's car.

"Well?" Furrero asked Gibson as they got into his car. "He's still lying to us," the lion said with a frown. "Yeah. But, what about? He was more truthful than before, but... we need to do some more digging," Furrero said. "Yeah, let's find out who Christina Bosworth's sugar daddy was," Gibson said. "Who the hell ever came up with that term?" Furrero asked, shaking her head.

"Don't know, don't care," Gibson said as he started the car and took off. Furrero pulled out her cell phone. "Hey... Bosworth said that Christina's lover was female, right?" Gibson asked as he drove through traffic. "Yeah," Furrero replied. "And he said that she was a canid, right?" he asked as they approached a red light.

"That's right," Furrero said. "Wasn't there a witness when the Wildes showed up at the scene yesterday?" Gibson asked thoughtfully. "According to the information that Bogo gave us, yes," Furrero replied as she prepared to dial Bogo's cell number. "What was the witness's name, species, and sex?" Gibson asked.

Furrero paused her actions and reached down to grab the folder on the floor. Reaching inside, she pulled out the papers that held the case details. "Witness name... Dina Wendel. Age: twenty-four years. Species: gray wolf. Sex: female," Furrero read out loud. "Yeah. Yeah, wouldn't that sort of match Bosworth's description of his daughter's lover?" Gibson asked.

"Maybe. He didn't say how old the female was, or her exact species. Only that they were female and a canid," Furrero said. "Yeah, but didn't the autopsy and forensics report-what does that say about the crime scene?" Gibson asked as the light turned green and he drove forward. "It says that the state of the bed indicates that someone else was there with Christina that night. There was also some staining found on the side of the toilet that indicated regurgitation, and it would have occurred roughly around the time that Christina had jumped," Furrero said.

"Yeah, and we have a witness testimony in there from Miss Wendel, too. Don't we?" Gibson asked with a smirk. "Yes," Furrero said as she flipped through the pages of the report. "And, like Miss Bosworth, Miss Wendel is a hooker," Gibson said. "True, but... wait, there's an additional statement from Sergeant Wilde in here," Furrero said. "Witness appeared to be under a state of duress and showed signs of emotional stress. Eyes were bloodshot, and fur underneath appeared to be matted from moisture," Furrero said.

"Yeah, and go back to the forensics statement about the bed. What details were listed in there?" Gibson asked. "Let's see... there were stains from saliva, sweat, and vaginal secretions and fluids on the bed," Furrero said. "No signs of male company, though, right?" Gibson asked.

"That's right. And... are you suggesting that Miss Wendel is-or rather- _was_ Miss Bosworth's lover?" Furrero asked him. "Well, we haven't confirmed it, but it would make sense. Miss Wendel has a night of fun with Christina, poisons her, and then leaves. But, Christina doesn't die in bed. Since some of those pills were genuine barbituates, Christina does get high and falls from the balcony," Gibson said.

"Okay, but that could have happened with or without the presence of another person. She could have just as easily been given those pills by someone else prior to returning to the apartment," Furrero said. "That's also possible, but the fact remains that there was still another person there, especially with those stains found on the toilet, right? If those pills were doctored, then Dina Wendel would have also suffered as well if she had taken them, maybe just to convince Christina that they were safe, and then she puked her guts out in the toilet to save herself while Christina died," Gibson said.

"That's _if_ she was Christina's girlfriend and _if_ she was with Christina the night she died, and we don't have any solid evidence of that. For all we know, she could have been called to the apartment complex by an unrelated tenant in a completely different part of the building," Furrero replied. "Yeah, but if we ask the landlord about Christina's visitors and guests, what will we find out?" Gibson asked in return. "Fine, let's go. But remember, no jumping to conclusions," Furrero said firmly.

"Alright. That means you have to wait to hear the rest of my theory," Gibson said. "I think you mean hypothesis," Furrero countered. "I'm not a scientist, so the distinction doesn't matter much to me," the lion said with a shrug.

* * *

 **High Hooves Apartment Complex...**

Mrs. Hunsacker pulled out the rent payment records and copy of the lease and handed them to Furrero and Gibson wordlessly after they showed her their badges and IDs. "Uh... we already knew about Christina's status as a tenant, but thanks anyway," Gibson said. "Then why are you here?" she asked the detectives.

"Our investigation has uncovered new information regarding the death of Christina Bosworth. It's no longer being labeled a suicide. We believe that she was murdered," Gibson said. "Are you sure?" Mrs. Hunsacker asked him. "Yes. Even though barbituates were found at the scene, some of the pills were doctored, and instead contained lethal doses of poisonous substances," he continued.

"So, did Christina Bosworth have any guests or visitors on the night she died?" Furrero asked the landlord. "I think... there was this wolf who often came by. She was here that night. I don't remember what time she left, though," Mrs. Hunsacker said. "Do you know her name?" Gibson asked her. "I'm not certain. I think it was... Tina? Jeana? Mina? No, it was a hard sound. Tina or something like that," Mrs. Hunsacker said.

"Dina?" Gibson asked. "Maybe. But she was definitely a young gray wolf. She and Christina seemed very close to each other, especially in the past two months. You'd almost think that they were... oh my," Mrs. Hunsacker said as realization dawned on her. "Um, mind cluing us in here?" Gibson asked her. "The two officers who came by on Monday said that Christina had gotten into a nasty argument with her father a month ago, and her friend Dina had been spending more time with her here lately. Oh my goodness, they were in a relationship, weren't they?" Mrs. Hunsacker asked.

"We haven't established or confirmed that yet," Furrero said. "I see. Well, considering the noise complaints I've heard on occasion, I suppose that those two being in a relationship would certainly be plausible," Mrs. Hunsacker said. Furrero tilted her head.

"Noise complaints?" she asked the kudu. "Yes, apparently, the two girls were being rather... loud with their activities on certain nights," Mrs. Hunsacker said. "Told ya," Gibson said as he shot a glance at Furrero. "May we... please see the apartment to perform an examination?" Gibson asked. "Of course," Mrs. Hunsacker said before grabbing a set of keys from her desk.

The trio made their way up to the fifth floor, where Mrs. Hunsacker unlocked the door and let them inside the apartment. "If you don't have gloves, I'd recommend not touching anything," Mrs. Hunsacker said, pointing at the various stretches of police tape and evidence markers laid out around the room. Gibson and Furrero nodded their heads.

For the next twenty minutes, the two detectives inspected the apartment, carefully taking pictures and looking at anything that seemed interesting. "Well, what's with the stains in the bathroom?" Gibson asked as he walked over and saw the stains on the toilet. "Someone threw up the night that Christina died. I can only wonder who might've done it," Furrero said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"In that case, let me finish my earlier statement. If Dina took those pills too, then this stain would have been left by her after she was certain that Christina was dead," Gibson said. "Or... she could have felt the effects sooner and rushed in here, not realizing that Christina was about to suffer as well," Furrero said.

"By the time she finishes emptying her stomach, Christina's already dead, and since she's a predator in a building that is mostly prey... she realizes that she's fucked; she's already stressed out from throwing up, her girlfriend is dead, and she's going to be in more trouble than she can handle if she doesn't do something," Furrero postulated. "Or, in my head, she takes enough to convince Bosworth that the pills are safe, then she goes in here, throws up to save herself, and waits until Bosworth is dead. But, again, Bosworth jumps, and now the body is public. So, she finds the nearest blue shirt that she sees and says that she saw the whole thing in order to save herself by pretending to be a witness," Gibson said.

"Hmm, I liked my idea better," Furrero said. "Either way... we've established that Dina was here with Bosworth the night that she died. They both had some fun with each other, and then something went sideways. The problem is determining whether it was deliberate or an accident. We don't know which one of them brought the pills home," Gibson said. "We need to talk to Dina. Ask her for the truth," Furrero said. "Do you think she'll cooperate with us?" Gibson asked her.

"I think I can convince her," Furrero replied with a nod. "Are you sure?" Gibson asked her. "I'm sure. I can understand how a broken heart works," Furrero said. "Really? I'd like to have this explained to me, because I think you're bullshitting me," Gibson said as they walked away from the bathroom and over to the exit, where Mrs. Hunsacker was waiting for them.

"Did you find what you needed, officers?" the middle-aged kudu asked the two detectives. "Not quite. We have to go somewhere else for more answers. Thanks for letting us look around, though," Gibson replied. "You're welcome," Mrs. Hunsacker said in response, nodding her head politely as she watched the two predators walk through the hallway.

"So, explain to me what this matters of the heart bullshit is," Gibson asked his partner. "Well, several years ago, almost a decade, really," Furrero began, "I met this one fo-I mean, guy. I took him back to my place for the night, and he swore that he and a close friend of his weren't involved, so I had some fun with him. We went through a whole box of condoms, and I had pretty much one of the best nights of my life," Furrero said.

"I almost fell in love with him right there. In fact, I'd been attracted to him since I'd met him, but I figured that he was already in a relationship, what with how he and his partner interacted with each other. But, as I said, we fucked till dawn, and during the final round, he's pounding me with everything he's got, and just after my final orgasm passes, I hear him call out a name before he reaches his peak. It ain't mine. I'm so high on euphoria, though, I don't think much of it, and I just fall asleep with him still locked in me," Furrero said. Gibson stared at her, wide-eyed and surprised by how much detail she was giving him.

"When I wake up, he's still in the bed," she continued. "Holy shit," Gibson said in awe. "A guy who stays in the bed. That's a fucking miracle right there," he added. "Yeah, so I lean over to give him a kiss, and as I do, I hear him whisper a name, and it's the same one he shouted before. It isn't mine. And my heart, as swelled as it was, deflates and I remember that this was just supposed to be one night," she finished.

Gibson nodded his head. "Okay. I don't think that is connected to our case in any way, though," he said. "Wait... the guy was Wilde, wasn't it?" Gibson asked after he put the pieces together. "Yes," Cynthia admitted. "Do you still have feelings for him?" Gibson asked her. "No. Those passed a long time ago. But, I still remember," she replied. "He called out Judy's name, didn't he?" Gibson asked. "Yes. Yes he did," Furrero said.

"Christ. He fucks you like a stud and says another girl's name? What a _nice guy_ ," Gibson said sarcastically with a chuckle. "I know," Furrero said with a chuckle of her own. "You're taking it pretty well," Gibson pointed out. "Please, a week later I was beaten into a coma by three of my fellow officers. Getting my heart broken by Wilde is pretty much cake-walk compared to something like that," Furrero said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I heard about that," Gibson said with a frown. "So... what were we doing again?" Gibson asked her as they walked through the hallways of the apartment complex. "We were on our way to go see Dina Wendel and ask her to tell us the truth about what happened the night that Christina Bosworth died," Furrero said. "Got it. I thought we were going to swap stories about one night stands," Gibson said with a smirk.

"Maybe some other time I can tell you about the weekend I spent with this married couple on their honeymoon," Furrero said with a smirk. "Wait... your door opens both ways?" Gibson asked her. "If that's the euphemism for being bisexual, then yes," Furrero said. "Huh. Neat. I'll have to ask my girlfriend if she's into that some time," Gibson said. "Wait, you have a girlfriend?" Furrero asked him.

"Yeah. This striped hyena. I actually met her almost ten years ago, but I only started going out with her three years ago after meeting her again at a supermarket," Gibson said as he and Furrero walked over to an elevator. "So, do we know where Miss Wendel lives? Where she works?" Gibson asked. "We should have her contact information in the case file, since she _was_ a witness and she gave testimony," Furrero said as they got inside the elevator and descended to the ground floor.

"Do you think any of it is accurate, though?" Gibson asked her as the elevator reached the first floor. "Well, we'll just have to find out, won't we?" Furrero asked hm in response as they stepped out of the elevator. "I guess so," Gibson said.

* * *

 **Green Acres Apartment Complex, South Brown Quill Road, Happytown, Zootopia...**

"There it is," Furrero said as Gibson drove up to the drive way of a rundown apartment complex that had clearly seen better days. "I hate being in Happytown," Gibson muttered as he pulled into an open parking space. "Make sure that the windows are up and the door is locked," Gibson said as he put the car in park and turned off the engine.

"They are," Furrero said as she unbuckled he seat belt and got out of the car. Gibson quickly got out as well and closed his door, pressing the button on his key to make sure that everything was locked. "If you were gonna do that to begin with, then what was up with telling me what to do?" she asked him. "Better safe than sorry," Gibson said. Furrero looked around at the urban decay of the neighborhood. "Yeah, I see your point," she said.

Walking over to the front doors of the building, Furrero glanced up and looked at the run-down architecture and paint. The building had clearly been built during a time when the neighborhood was in its prime, but now the paint was chipped, the wood finishes were cracked and faded, and the metal rails and attachments were rusted. "This place is just waiting to fall apart," Cynthia muttered to herself as she and Roger stepped inside the lobby.

Walking over to the tenant list and map on the wall, Gibson began searching for their animal of interest. "Wendel... Wendel... Wendel," he muttered. "There you are," he said to himself as he found the name and apartment number. "Okay, she's in apartment number three-eleven, on the third floor," he said to Furrero. Furrero nodded her head before following Gibson over to the stairs.

Next to the stairs were a series of small doors, where some lemmings could be seen entering and exiting. Walking over to the stairs, Furrero looked around and saw two old Corsac foxes sitting by a table with a checker board laid out. "Hey, you comin'?" Gibson asked her from the staircase. Furrero nodded her head and joined him on the stairs.

Slowly making their way up the stairs, the duo eventually reached the landing for the third floor, where they quietly entered the hallway. The lion and coywolf quietly made their way over to apartment #311. Gibson pressed a clawed digit against the buzzer, only to realize that it was broken. "I guess we just knock," he said before gently rapping his knuckles against the door, causing it to creak open.

"Um... okay," Gibson said in a slightly worried fashion. "Hello? Miss Wendel? Are you home?" Cynthia called out. "We'd just like to ask you a few questions," she added. There was no response from within. "Should we... come back later?" she asked hesitantly. "No. Something's wrong," Gibson said. He quickly sniffed the air, noticing a hint of some kind of cologne.

"Go find the landlord and get their permission for us to enter the apartment. I'm gonna step inside and see if our suspect needs help," Gibson said. Cynthia briefly took a whiff of the apartment before nodding her head and departing for the stairs. Gibson looked around at what little he could see through the open doorway and pushed it open further before stepping inside the hallway. "Miss Wendel?" he called out as he walked through the darkened hallway of the apartment.

 _This isn't right. Something is very wrong here_ , Gibson thought to himself as he entered the living room. A few minutes later, Furrero returned, grumpy coyote landlord in tow. The coyote walked over to the open doorway and turned on the light as he entered the hall. "Miss Wendel, I don't have time for games today!" the coyote yelled as he marched into the apartment, with Furrero close behind him.

The landlord and Furrero both entered the small living room, where the kitchenette and a dining table were located, along with a small TV and a couch. " _Furrero! Get in here!_ " Gibson yelled out from the entry of the bedroom. Cynthia and the landlord both rushed over to him.

"Gibson, what's wrong!?" Cynthia asked as she and the landlord entered the room. Looking at the center of the room, Cynthia immediately realized what the problem was. Right in front of her, hanging by a rope from the ceiling fan, was the lifeless body of Dina Wendel.

* * *

Author's Notes: And this is chapter six of the story. As always, be sure to let me know what you think of the chapter and/or the story so far in your reviews.


	8. Dead End and Bittersweet Reunion

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

To address all concerns... Yes, Nick and Judy's offspring will be involved in a crisis later in the story. To a concern that no one has brought up, yes, Lisker will be featuring in the later portions of the story as well, and his involvement will coincide with the crisis regarding Nick and Judy's children. I leave the rest to your imaginations.

* * *

 **Chapter 07: Dead End / A Bittersweet Reunion**

* * *

Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2030

 **Green Acres Apartment Complex, Happytown, Zootopia**

"M-Miss Wendel?" the landlord asked in shock. Roger Gibson quickly studied the wolf's open mouth, hanging tongue, and wide eyes. "She's dead. I don't even need to check for a pulse. She's fucking dead," Gibson muttered. Cynthia Furrero grimaced before she looked around and saw a piece of paper on the bed. She retrieved a pair of sterile gloves from her jacket and slipped them on before grabbing the paper and reading it.

 **If anyone is reading this, then I have joined my lover where we can be at peace. The world would not accept us or our love, and so we have both decided to say goodbye to the world. I wish that things could have been different, but society will never accept our love, no matter how pure, simply because of our differences. Goodbye.**

"What does it say?" Gibson asked her. "It's a suicide note," she said, before tilting her head back up to look at the wolf hanging from the ceiling. Despite the presence of the note, there was still something that seemed off about the whole situation to Cynthia and Gibson.

Gibson stole a closer glance at Dina's wide eyes. _Those aren't the depressed eyes of a suicide victim_ , Gibson thought to himself as he looked closer at the dilated pupils. _Those are the eyes of a frightened animal, someone desperate for help and terrified_ , Gibson noted. _Those are the eyes of a murder victim_.

"Let me see that note," Gibson said as he reached for the paper. Cynthia quickly jerked it away form him. "Hey, you'll contaminate the evidence," she barked at him. "Right, well can you hold it up to my face?" he asked her. She obliged and showed him the typed paper. "I don't remember seeing a printer in this place," Gibson said before he looked over at the desk near the bed and saw a laptop sitting on it, with a power supply plugged into the wall.

He walked over and saw that there was, indeed, a printer underneath the desk. "Damn, I guess that does work out," he muttered in defeat. Still, walking back around to the hanged wolf, he looked at her face again. "Uh, hey, shouldn't we get her down from there?" the landlord asked. "Call for a coroner and a medical exam team. We can't touch the body or we risk contaminating it," Gibson said to Cynthia and the landlord.

"I'm already on it," Cynthia said as she took out her phone and began calling for emergency medical services. Looking at the landlord, Gibson frowned. "Hey, look at her face and tell me if that's the face of a suicide victim," Gibson said. "Uh, _what!?_ " the landlord asked him, shocked. "Her face. Does that look like someone who deliberately killed themself?" Gibson asked him.

"I don't know. I don't go around looking at suicide victims' faces!" the landlord retorted. "Fair enough point, I suppose," Gibson said. He returned his focus to the wide terror-filled eyes of Dina Wendel, trying to figure out if her expression was a result of her having reservations at the last second, or if there was truly something more sinister behind her death.

* * *

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One, Later That Evening...**

"Well," Samantha Blackspot said as she examined the body of Dina Wendel, "I can say that this, much like our other hooker, is a murder." Gibson and Furrero both nodded their heads in understanding. "Knew it. But, uh, what evidence have you found to support that?" Gibson asked the leopard.

"Well, it was hidden under her fur at first, but the line of strangulation around her throat doesn't match the rope found around her neck at the apartment," Samantha explained. "See this?" she asked as she held up pictures taken of the imprint in the wolf's throat. "That line is too thin for a rope like the one you found. Someone strangled her and then set her up to look like she had committed suicide," Samantha explained.

"What about the note?" Cynthia asked. "What about it? Those paw prints match, but there's no way she typed that up before being killed. Whoever killed her typed it. I'll admit, they did a real good job covering their tracks, especially with the photos I've seen of the crime scene," Samantha said. "Yeah, and when we were in there, I noticed that the trash was empty. I mean, the can was there, but the bag was gone, and the box in the corner still had plenty of bags in it," Gibson said as he remembered his brief survey of the apartment before the CSI unit had taken over.

"So, whoever killed her made sure to collect all of their evidence and dump it in the trash, before taking the trash with them to prevent it from being used as evidence," Cynthia surmised in a thoughtful manner. "That's pretty damn smart. Whoever did this has a brain in their head," Gibson noted. "Dina and Christina were both prostitutes. Do you think the killer may have been their pimp?" Cynthia asked.

"It's possible, but we don't even know who the guys is. We don't know his name, species, age, or anything," Gibson said. "Or maybe the pimp knows the killer?" Cynthia asked. "We'd still have to find the pimp first," Gibson said. "Maybe the two of you should begin adding things to your report before you go off on a wild goose chase," Samantha suggested. Gibson and Cynthia both turned to look at her with raised eyebrows.

"What?" Samantha asked after seeing their expressions.

* * *

Date: Thursday, July 12th, 2030

 **Somewhere In Savanna Central**

Sitting in Gibson's blue pickup truck, Cynthia and Roger both quietly ate their food from Bugga Burger. "Not one house of ill repute with any answers," Cynthia said before taking a bite out of her burger. "Nope. You'd think we'd have hit something by now. I mean, we've asked over three dozen hookers for information," Gibson said.

"Wait..." Cynthia said before she sipped her soda. "Dina and Christina weren't just regular prostitutes. They were _escorts_. Dammit. We've been looking in all the wrong places," she said as realization hit her. "So... we need to try fancy hotels and penthouses?" Gibson asked her.

"Yes," Cynthia said. "Hold up, didn't they also work as strippers at a club?" Gibson asked. "Hey, that's right! I forgot about that," Cynthia said. "Well, what's the name of the club?" Gibson asked her. Cynthia quickly reached down and pulled out their modified case file. "Let's see... The Dripping Cavern Bar and Strip Club," she read out loud.

"The Dripping Cavern? That sounds _wholesome_ ," Gibson said sarcastically with a grin. "Yup. I've got the address on the file. Just let me put it into my phone's GPS," Cynthia said as she took her phone out of her jacket's pocket. "You sure the grease on your paws won't affect that?" Gibson asked her, prompting the coywolf to grab a napkin and wipe her paws off before resuming her task.

"Okay," Cynthia said after a couple minutes. "Just follow my directions," she said before she buckled her seat belt. "I'm not done eating," Gibson protested. "Rog, at least buckle your damn seat belt," Cynthia pressed. "Okay, okay. I'm buckling my seat belt. See? I'm buckling my seat belt," Gibson said as he put down his food and buckled his seat belt.

"Now, may I finish my food before we take off? We don't exactly have a history of things going smoothly for us when our assignments involve animals dying _after_ we've started investigating," Gibson said before he took another bite out of his sandwich. "Fine, but I'd like to get there before nightfall," Cynthia said with a grunt.

* * *

 **The Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club, Happytown...**

Leaning back against a chair in the boiler room and maintenance hallway, John Phoenix aimed and threw another knife at the dart board hanging on the wall. Phoenix smirked when he saw that the knife had embedded itself directly in the center of the board. "Bulls-eye," he said to himself as he got up and walked over to the board.

He carefully removed the blade from the circular wooden board, just as a coyote dressed in a suit walked up to him. "Spence?" Phoenix asked the coyote. "Sir, two cops just arrived at the club a few minutes ago. I overheard them asking some of the strippers some questions," Spencer said. "What are they trying to find?" Phoenix asked him.

"I think they're asking about Miss Bosworth and Miss Wendel," Spencer said. "Bosworth? Oh, the little eavesdropper and her girlfriend," Phoenix said in recognition. "Yes. It would seem that they're digging deeper than expected," Spencer said. "Well, there isn't much we can do, is there?" Phoenix asked him.

"Sir, what if they find us before the boss's plan is ready?" Spencer asked him. "They won't. As long as we don't take any action and lay low, the police won't find shit. I know it's tempting, but keeping quiet is our best option right now. None of the other strippers know anything, and Sherakh covered his tracks as well as anyone could. Both females are dead, and Daddy Bosworth will keep his mouth shut because he still has another daughter," Phoenix said.

Spencer took a breath before letting it out. "Alright. If you say so," he said reluctantly. "Trust me, Spence. If we act now, before everything is ready, then the police _will_ be onto us and our plan will get thrown sideways faster than you can blink," Phoenix explained. "I understand, sir. I'll relay the message to the others," Spencer said, nodding his head in understanding.

"Good. Now, the viewing for Mr. Bosworth's daughter will be this coming Saturday, with the funeral on Sunday. Sherakh is already working on setting things up for next week. However, Mr. Bosworth will need to be shadowed at that time, since both events will take place North of Zootopia," Phoenix said.

"You aren't going to do it?" Spencer asked him. "No. I'm a dingo, Spence. I'll stick out if I head that far North. Komo and I will arrange for someone less noticeable to follow him," Phoenix replied. "Do you want me to do it?" Spencer asked him. "If you're offering, we'll take that into consideration, but... Komo would like to choose that particular animal himself," Phoenix said.

"I understand," Spencer said. "Good. Now, for the time being, please check on the status of those two cops you mentioned. Don't interact with them, and don't tail them. Just find out where they are and let me know when they've left. After that, we'll find out what questions they've been asking the staff, but make sure to do so in an unassuming manner," Phoenix said.

"Got it," Spencer said with a nod. "Fantastic," Phoenix said in a droll manner. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get out there and keep an eye on things," Phoenix ordered the coyote. Spencer nodded his head again before turning around and walking away.

* * *

Date: Saturday, July 14th, 2030

 **Northern Plains Funeral Home, Outskirts Of Zootopia**

John Bosworth sighed as he leaned against the wall. He watched as a line of animals, all friends and family, slowly mingled amongst themselves as they moved through the line to see Christina's body. Walking away from the body was his old friend Martin Bogo, along with his second wife, Linda, and their son, Jerome.

Martin Bogo quickly made his way over to John Bosworth's side near a refreshment table. "So, I can't expect you to be having the most pleasant time of anyone here," Martin said as he poured himself a cup of iced tea. John looked over at Martin with a mournful expression on his face.

"Wasn't Glover supposed to make it here as well? I did extend an invitation to him," John asked softly. "No. He wanted to, but I need him to keep an eye on the station while I'm away," Martin replied. "Yeah," John said absently.

"John... I'm sorry about Christina. Maybe, if I'd had my phone turned on that weekend... I could have done something," Martin said. John merely sighed in response. "John, what else did you want to talk about when I talked to you on Monday?" Martin asked him. "It's nothing. Nothing that matters now," John replied with a depressed sigh.

"John... you're lying to me," Martin said. John looked up at the cape buffalo with heavy eyes. "Martin... forget it. You apologized for not being there. There isn't much else you can do. What's done is done," John said. "Is that so?" Martin asked John. "Yes, Martin. It _is_ ," John replied with an edge.

"Well then, I know it wasn't proper procedure, but... your daughter's lover, Dina Wendel, didn't commit suicide," Martin said. There was almost no reaction from John. "She was murdered, John. Just like she was paid off to murder your daughter," Martin added. "Dina wasn't paid off. She loved Christina too much," John siad before slapping a hoof over his mouth.

"I thought you said that you didn't know anything about her," Martin said, narrowing his eyes at the antelope. "I saw that suicide note, Martin. It's a tragic murder/suicide commited by two star-crossed lovers," John said with distaste in his mouth. "Like hell it is!" Bogo retorted forcefully, catching the attention of some of the other attendees.

"This wasn't some tragic murder/suicide by two star-crossed lovers, John. Your daughter saw or heard something that someone didn't want her to know, and they used Dina to kill her. And after realizing that Dina must have known what Christina knew, they killed her to keep her silent too," Martin said with conviction.

"Martin, forget it. You're reading too much into things," John said as he turned to look away. "Am I? Tell me that I'm wrong. That video wasn't sent to your house by mistake, John. It was meant for _you_. You knew more about Christina and Dina than you let on when you were questioned, and that technically means that you withheld vital information from the police during an investigation," Martin said.

"You technically interfered with a police investigation, John." "I started it, Martin. I was the one who called _you_ , not the other way around," John spat. "That doesn't matter, John. You lied to my officers when they questioned you. And you're still lying to me now. You _know_ who killed your daughter, John. Why the hell are you protecting these animals?" Martin asked him, raising his voice enough to catch the attention of more animals.

"Why are you protecting these animals? You and I both already know that this wasn't a tragic love story. This was murder. Your daughter and her girlfriend were both murdered to cover up something bigger," Martin said loudly.

"Shh! Dammit, Martin!" John hissed as he dragged the buffalo away from the entrance of the room. "Not everyone in this building is as accepting of changing values as you are. Even I'm not as... _progressive_ , so to speak, as you are," John said. "Did you actually disown your daughter?" Martin asked him. "Look, that's in the-" " _John_ , did you _disown_ you daughter?" Martin asked him.

"Publicly... yes. I... I thought that if I... it would protect her," John admitted. Martin raised an eyebrow curiously. "I thought... maybe if these people think that she doesn't mean anything to me, they'll leave her alone," John said. "John... that is the _stupidest fucking plan_ I have ever heard of in my life," Martin said in disgust. "You should be _ashamed_ of yourself for even _contemplating_ such an idea," Martin spat at him.

"John, you and Christina were both aware of the same information, weren't you? That just makes your decision even stupider," Martin said in contempt. "I... it seemed like a good idea at the time," John said tearfully. "I just... I wish I could take it back," he said with a shudder. "I really do. The last thing that I said to Christina was that she was dead to me. She... she died thinking that I hated her... and I never got to take it back," John said sorrowfully.

"You deserve the pain you're feeling right now, John. Don't ask me to forgive your stupidity. Ask your daughter," Martin said in a dark tone. "I... I-" "John, if you want to do right by your daughter, then tell me the truth. Who manipulated Dina into killing your daughter?" Martin asked him. "I don't know what you're-" Dammit, John! Enough with the bullshit! You _know_ who's responsible for killing your daughter and her girlfriend, now spit it out, before I knock it out of you," Martin said darkly.

"Dammit, Martin! Please, I have another daughter!" John pleaded. "And they'll just use her too. Talk to me, John. We're not in Zootopia. We're out here, and if you want me to help you, then you have to talk to me," Martin said. "Please, I-I can't," John said. "Why not?" Martin asked him. "I can't lose my wife and surviving daughter, Martin. I-I just _can't_ ," John said. "Do you know how it feels to lose a loved one?" he asked the cape buffalo.

Martin's eyes narrowed. "Yes, _John._ I do. Remember my first wife, Sheryl? Yeah, she didn't just up and disappear one day, John. She _died_. So, please, ask me another insulting question," Martin said with a glower. "I-I just... please, Martin. I am in this _too deep_. You can't protect my family," John said. "They don't know anything, though. Do they?" Martin asked him. "No," John replied. "So why aren't these people coming after _you?_ " Martin asked him.

"Wait, what?" John asked. "Your daughter knew something, so she died. Dina also knew something, so she died. You also know something, but you're still alive. Why wouldn't these animals target you as well?" Martin asked. "I... fine, the bank. My position at the company allowed me to make the perfect cover for the transactions that these guys do," John explained reluctantly.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Martin said. "It started earlier this year. I was having trouble at the bank with finding stable clients, and the other executives were getting anxious because of some... issues with our number of clients shrinking," John explained. "Then, one day, I get a phone call. It's this animal with a very deep and... almost suave voice. He says that he wants to meet me at this club in Happytown, and since I'm desperate for new clients at this point, I jump at the opportunity," John continued.

"It was this... tiger. He introduced me to his companions, and then we made a contract, only I hadn't realized what was going on, but they were going to use me and the bank as a front for their smuggling activities. I wanted to back out, until they offered this one stripper to give me a lap dance. Can you guess who they brought over to me?" John asked with a bitter frown.

"It was Christina. I had to shoot down their offer right then and there, only to be forced to explain that... the stripper they'd brought over was my daughter. And I soon learned that Christina... she told me things that she'd seen and heard when we were alone. We started working together, to gather information, before the money that they cut with us became too enticing. We were raking in triple digits before the decimal points," John said.

"But, two months ago, I began noticing changes in Christina's behavior, and I learned that she had a lover. A month ago, she introduced me to Dina at their apartment, and I _did_ blow up at her. I had two fits in the span of an hour, actually. The second fit was the one where I came up with that _stupid fucking plan_ as you put it. Dina sought me out a couple days later, and I got to know her, but the damage between me and my daughter was done. I asked Dina to try communicating to Christina for me, but she would report that Christina wanted nothing to do with me," John continued.

"She kept trying, though. Unfortunately, I think that she was intercepted by my clients, and they found out what Christina and I knew. When they sent me that video in the mail, Dina called me and said that another video had been sent to Christina as well, but that one was different. That one was a voyeur video that showed her and my daughter, and they were threatening to send it to Dina's family and the rest of mine," John said. "Dina's family aren't... exactly accepting either," John explained.

Martin nodded his head. "That was when I called you. I hoped that, maybe, you would be able to help get Christina out of there. Maybe then you would end up finding out that Dina was involved and help her too along the way. Maybe you could have put both girls into protective custody or something," John said wistfully. "I just... I wish I had talked to you sooner. I made a deal with the devil... and I lost," John finished.

"No shit. John, what's this tiger's name?" Martin asked him. "I can't tell you that. Everyone that I've met has used an alias. Nothing I tell you would be any help," John said. "I see. What are they smuggling?" Martin asked. "Coke. Heroin. Meth. All of it. The bank is the perfect cover and front for the trades and transactions, and it looks great on the tax reports," John explained. "Is that so? Well, I've got some news for you, John. I'm gonna tear it all down, piece by piece," Martin said.

"You can't. It's too big," John said. "What do you mean?" Martin asked in response. "These guys aren't just animals who smuggle from a supplier. They're an extension of an organization that's already strong in other countries. Their main shipments come from India and Reptaelia," John said. "Who's their leader?" Martin asked. "The one who I've seen calling most of the shots is a tiger. He shares control with this... dingo, I think," John said.

"Dingo?" Martin asked. "Yeah. He's called Mister Fire or something half the time," John said. "And the tiger? What's his alias? What do the others call him?" Martin asked. "They call him sir, Mr. Shark, and stuff like that," John replied. "Where do you usually meet with these animals?" Martin asked.

"Various places. The first place was the club where my daughter worked, but we haven't met there since then. Otherwise, we don't actually meet in person very often," John explained. "John, what else do you know about these animals?" Martin asked him. "I can't tell you anymore than I already have. For all I know, they could be listening in on us," John said. "Then let your family stay with mine tonight and let me drive your family home tomorrow," Martin offered.

"Thank you... for taking care of my family, or what's left of it," John said. "I can put a protective detail on your wife and daughter and have them observed at home and at work until we've found these guys," Martin said. John looked at Martin before looking down at the floor, his hooves balling into fists as he waged a mental war in his head over his next course of action. "Martin... on Monday... I'm gonna send you an e-mail with everything that I've got on them. I can't access the company server outside of work, but when I get in there... I have a list of actual names, transactions, items, so much stuff it'll make your head spin," John said.

"Of course, I could still get cold feet again by tomorrow evening," John added with a sigh. "You won't. If you want to avenge your daughter and Dina, then you have to talk now, while you still can. You have to go through with this, or these animals will hold your family over you. They'll take one person away at a time, every time you upset them, until you're broken and you have nothing left. Stop them now," Martin said.

"Martin... we're playing with fire here," John said. "These guys are professional trained killers. They have mercenaries," John whispered. "Mercenaries?" Martin asked, a faint sense of unsettling familiarity started creeping through him. "Yeah. About ten or so years ago, there was this lizard who was in charge of this mob in Reptaelia. He got sent to prison, and then these tigers from India went in and took over his operations after his successor died. They killed everyone who fought back, and now the survivors are all working for them," John explained.

"And now they're expanding to Zootopia," Martin said. "Yeah, but there's this one other thing. I haven't met him yet, but I've heard Mister Fire and Mister Shark both talk about this third guy, who's their own boss. I don't know his species or anything, but apparently most of their guys are _terrified_ of pissing him off. The tiger himself seems on guard whenever he speaks about his boss, like he's afraid of saying the wrong thing," John explained.

"Do you have any details?" Martin asked him. "No. They never referred to him by name. They never mentioned his species or anything, only that he's the one running the show from the shadows, and that's it," John explained. "John... how do you know most of this?" Martin asked him curiously. "They told me," John replied.

"Why would they do that?" Martin asked him. "They wanted me to understand just how dangerous they were. They wanted to intimidate me... and it worked. The only reason I'm even talking to you about this now is the fact that we aren't in Zootopia. They have eyes and ears everywhere except, maybe, out here. Even out here, I think they might have sent someone to follow me around somewhere. That's why I lied about the video and my argument with Christina," John explained.

"But then something happened. Something happened that made you want to blow the whistle," Martin said. "I heard that they were starting to plan something big. Something that would hurt a lot of animals. Christina heard about it too, and Dina," John explained. "And then they got Dina to poison your daughter the first day that my officers questioned you," Martin explained.

"I told you, they have eyes and ears everywhere. I don't know if it was something I said to your officers or if they found out that Christina was planning something on her own, but yes, they used Dina to kill her," John said with shaky breath. "Did they pay her or-" "No. Dina loved Christina too much. The only explanation I can think of is that they were threatening her family," John interjected.

"But you said that Dina's family didn't accept her," Martin pointed out. "No, I said that they weren't very progressive or accepting. Dina's family had _no idea_ that she was in a cross species relationship, or even a homosexual one at that. They frown upon both," John said. "Did they know that she was a prostitute or even a stripper?" Martin asked. "Probably not. Dina tried to keep as much about her life secret from her family as possible," John replied wearily.

"Martin... I truly don't have any idea what their next big plan is, but I know that a lot of animals are going to get hurt. The guys in charge keep mentioning that their boss is aiming for something, that there's some goal he's trying to reach. They never mention any specifics, but it's something big," John said. "When you return to your office on Monday, how fast can you get those files to me? Can you send them in an e-mail?" Martin asked him.

"I already told you that I would do that," John said. "Yes, but how quickly?" Martin asked him. "I don't know. Give me at least thirty minutes after I clock in at work. I won't call you. I think they might have my cell phone bugged. That's why I tried calling you over the weekend with my _house phone_. Nobody pays much attention to landlines these days," John said.

"And that's why you were so vague when I called you," Martin said in understanding. "But, it didn't work," John said. "Actually, I might be able to print out the files and then have them sent to you in a mail package, just to be safe. I'll send it to you with both methods," John said.

"Alright. I'll write down my e-mail address and you can send me the files. You should know how to send physical mail to the police station, though, right?" Martin asked. "Yes. It may take longer for that to reach you than the e-mails, but you'll have everything I can give you before noon," John said. "John... you're doing the right thing. If you let these bastards continue to use your family against you, it'll just escalate and get worse each time," Martin reminded him.

"I... I know. Thank you. Promise me, though, that you'll have someone patrol near my house and watch my daughter? Please, Martin, if you can't guarantee their safety, then I don't know how much farther I can go," John said. "John... I promise you that I will do what I can. If I make a protective detail or special patrol too obvious, then it will tip these animals off to what's going on before we can catch them," Martin said.

* * *

" _-will tip these animals off to what's going on before we can catch them_." Sitting in the back of an unmarked delivery truck, a tiger and a coyote listened on their equipment as John Bosworth and Martin Bogo conversed. "Call the boss," the tiger said to the coyote. The coyote nodded his head and grabbed a phone before dialing.

" _Hello?_ " Komo asked as he answered the phone. "Boss, this is Mister Claw... Mister Bosworth is spilling the beans to that police chief," the coyote, using the alias of Mister Claw, said. " _Is that so? How disappointing,_ " Komo said. "What do you want us to do?" Mr. Claw asked him.

" _Nothing. Do nothing. I'm going to contact Mister Shark and have him make some changes to his evening plans, since I'm changing the time tables on my most recent plan as well. On Monday, I will speak to Mister Bosworth and let him know what a gutser he's made. Simply continue monitoring him and recording what he's said. You_ **have** _been recording his bean spilling, haven't you?_ " Komo asked. "Yes, Boss. We just wanted to know what you wanted us to do before we took any action," Mr. Claw replied.

" _Very well. Just continue monitoring and recording him while staying out of sight. We will deal with him on Monday. Goodbye,_ " Komo said before hanging up. Mr. Claw then looked over to his companion, Mr. Fang, who was sitting by the controls for their equipment. "Boss says to just keep listening in on them and recording it. He'll speak to Bosworth on Monday," Mr. Claw relayed.

Mr. Fang nodded his head. "Fair enough," he said. "Yeah. So, when they leave the viewing, wanna get something at that bar we saw on the way here? I'm kind of hungry," Mr. Claw asked. "Whatever," Mr. Fang said in response, keeping his attention focused on his task. The two mercenaries resumed listening in on Bosworth and Bogo speak to each other throughout the night, keeping out of sight as they followed their boss's instructions.

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, here is chapter seven of The Good, The Bad, & The Evil. This is also the last chapter of the year as well. So... Happy New Year to everyone! Next week will see chapter eight being posted, and that's when things really heat up. I did initially want to put some Wilde family stuff in this chapter, but I felt that the narrative flowed better if I kept the focus on the investigation instead. Next chapter will see some Wilde family fluff, just before the shit hits the fan. And don't forget: Lisker will be returning to play a major role later in the story! Aren't you _excited!?_

As always let me know what you think of the chapter and/or story so far, as well as what you think Lisker's role will be, in your reviews.


	9. Reckless Endangerment With A Vengeance

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

Interesting note; the original script for _Die Hard With A Vengeance_ (1995) was called Simon Says, and it wasn't even going to be a Die Hard movie at all. Joel Silver (the producer for the first _Die Hard_ and the _Lethal Weapon_ movies) actually considered using the script for the third _Lethal Weapon_ movie, but 20th Century Fox didn't want to sell the script, so it was kept and later re-written to feature John McClane as the protagonist. Also, the first hour of the movie is actually the original script, but with some names changed and the character of Zeus Carver changed from a woman to a man played by Samuel L. Motherfucking Jackson. I just think that's kind of interesting, especially considering what I'm doing with this piece of fan fiction.

* * *

 **Chapter 08: Simon Says / Reckless Endangerment With A Vengeance**

* * *

Date: Monday, July 16th, 2030

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central**

Judith Laverne Wilde groggily stepped out of the bathroom and made her way down the hallway, slowly taking a turn to go down the stairs and enter the living room before heading into the kitchen. Reaching around the wall, she eventually found the low-level switches for the lights, flicking them on as she made her way over to fridge. Opening the door, she reached in and pulled out a half-eaten head of lettuce before taking a bite out of it, chewing the green leafy bits slowly before swallowing and taking another bite.

A few minutes later, the lettuce was gone, except for the short stump. Depositing the stump in the trash can, Judy walked over to the sink and washed her paws. She soon heard the sound of the upstairs toilet being flushed, followed by a brief period of rushing water. A minute later, Judy turned around and watched as Nicholas Piberius Wilde walked down the stairs before making a B-Line through the living room for the kitchen.

"Morning, Beautiful," Nick said with a smile as he gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Same to you, Handsome," Judy said back with a peck of her own. "Kids are still in bed?" Nick asked her. Judy nodded her head in response. "How long until they get up?" he asked her. "Not too long," she answered.

Walking over to the fridge, Nick looked at the calendar and work schedule underneath said calendar. "Let's see... who's watching the kids today?" Nick asked aloud. "Janet has the day off today," Judy replied as she opened a cupboard and retrieved a box of cereal before getting some spoons and bowls.

"Will she be here before we have to leave?" Nick asked as he opened the fridge doors and retrieved a carton of soy milk. "We need to get more milk after work. This carton's almost empty," Nick said as he poured the soy milk into both of their bowls. "Mm-hm," Judy said in response as she handed him a spoon before pouring the cereal into their bowls.

Both animals quickly sat down and ate their breakfast in silence, before the sound of the upstairs bathroom door being shut alerted them to the fact that their children were now awake. They both heard the sound of paws on the stairs as Ben made his way down and ran over to the first floor bathroom near the entrance to the basement. A few minutes later, after hearing the sound of the upstairs toilet flushing and the rushing water of the sink, Victoria made her way downstairs in a nimble fashion before running over to the kitchen.

Victoria quickly latched her arms around her mother in a hug. "Vicky, is something wrong?" Judy asked her. "We woke up before you left!" Vicky replied with a smile. Judy smiled at her daughter with a sigh. "Vicky, Vicky, Vicky," Judy said as she lifted her orange-furred daughter up onto her lap.

"Are you gonna be a good girl for Miss Clayworth today?" Judy asked her. "Janet's watching us?" Vicky asked excitedly. "Yep!" Judy replied with a nod and a smile. " _Janet's gonna be here!? All right!_ " Ben could be heard yelling from inside the bathroom.

"Ben likes Janet! He has a crush on her," Victoria practically sang to her parents. " _I-I do not!_ " Ben shouted from inside the bathroom, before flushing the toilet and opening the door to come out. "Ben, wash your paws," Nick said quickly. Ben nodded his head and turned around before climbing onto a stepping stool to reach the sink. He quickly washed his paws and turned off the light before exiting the bathroom.

"You like Janet!" Victoria sang again. "Sh-Shut up!" Ben pouted defensively. "Vicky, stop teasing your brother," Judy said as she put her daughter down on the floor. "But it's true!" Vicky said. "It-It is not!" Ben cried in his defense, blushing. "Vicky, come on. Stop embarrassing your brother," Nick said.

The rest of the morning passed without incident as Nick and Judy waited for Janet Clayworth to arrive, dressing up in their blue uniforms and sitting downstairs with their kids on the couch after they ate their breakfast. When Janet finally did arrive, Ben was joyous and Vicky teased him about it. "Well, you know where the emergency contact numbers are located, and there's a big pan of macaroni & cheese in the fridge, along with some vegetarian lasagna. Be sure to help yourself to some, and the TV has the parental locks set on it," Nick said.

"And the cupboard next to the TV has those board games in it, right?" Janet asked them. "Yep. You can let the kids outside to play in the backyard as long as it doesn't rain, and make sure that they clean themselves up after coming back inside," Judy said. "Oh, and make sure that Ben and Vicky remember to wash their paws after using the bathroom. Ben has been a little negligent about that lately," Nick chimed in.

"Got it. So, basically it's gonna be same old same old, right?" Janet asked them. "Pretty much," Nick said. "There's also some money and a coupon for pizza on the counter," Judy added as she and Nick prepared to leave. "Ben, Vicky; Come here before we leave," Judy called out. Ben and Victoria both ran over to the door and gave their parents hugs before they left. "Okay, we'll see you guys when we get home tonight. Be good for Janet, and make sure to clean up your messes, okay? We love you, bye!" Judy said with a smile before closing the door behind her.

Judy and Nick quickly made their way over to their car and got inside. "Ready to make the world a better place?" Judy asked her husband as he buckled his seat belt. "Aren't I always?" he asked her in return with a smirk. Judy rolled her eyes before starting the engine and pulling out of the driveway.

* * *

 **Curlton & Associates Corporate Office, Downtown Savanna Central...**

John Bosworth quickly made his way to the elevator inside the parking garage after locking his car doors. He quietly waited for the doors to slide open before stepping inside and selecting his destination floor. Taking a breath, he checked the watch on his left wrist before the elevator arrived at the third floor and let him out.

Bosworth quickly made his way through the halls, passing by several coworkers, including two hippos engaging in conversation by a water fountain, three male springbok being lectured by an older kudu about something important, two female gemsbok walking through the hallway while discussing their finances, a male and female lechwe sneaking into a supply closet, a leopard entering the male's restroom, and two female impala entering a break room. Bosworth quietly nodded his head when a coworker said hello to him or waved. He had only one goal in mind as he made his way over to his office and signed the check-in sheet.

Quickly closing the door behind him, Bosworth made his way over to his computer, turned it on, and prepared to log in. As he waited for the machine to boot up, he felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out to see an unfamiliar number. "Hello?" he asked as he answered the call.

" _Hello, John,_ " the voice on the other end said. "Who is this?" Bosworth asked. " _I'm Mister Shark and Mister Fire's boss. I know you must be having a rough time with the death of your daughter, John, but I'm afraid that your actions over the weekend have made it clear that you can no longer be trusted,_ " the voice said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bosworth asked as he desperately began logging into his computer. " _You have outlived your usefulness, John. Besides, I don't really need you or your bank as a front anyway. Goodbye, John. Oh, one more thing. Simon says die,_ " the voice on the other end said, just ten seconds before Bosworth saw a flashing red glow appear from underneath his desk.

"What the-"

The animals outside in the hallway were caught off guard when John Bosworth's office exploded, taking out a large amount of the floor with it. Chaos reigned supreme as the various employees of the building scrambled for safety and cried out in terror. Shortly thereafter, another bomb went off near one of the outer offices, blowing smoke and debris outside into public view.

* * *

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One...**

Chief Bogo was about to slip on his reading glasses in order to announce the morning docket to his fellow officers when the door to the briefing room was pushed open by Clawhauser. "Chief, it's urgent!" Clawhauser announced, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Bogo raised an eyebrow.

"A bomb just went off a few minutes ago at Curlton and Associates corporate headquarters, and we've got a phone call from the guy responsible!" Clawhauser continued. Everyone had now focused their attention on Clawhauser. "Where... did you say this... happened?" Bogo asked him with a hint of fear in his voice. "Curlton and Associates corporate headquarters," Clawhauser said.

"The guy on the phone wants to speak to you," Clawhauser said. "Me?" Bogo asked him. "Yes. He says he really needs to talk to you. I have him on hold, but I don't think he'll wait very long," Clawhauser said. Bogo turned his attention to all of the officers in the room. "Morning briefing has changed course today. Higgins, you're in charge of the room until I return. I want at least two pairs of officers sent on patrol, however. Everyone else is to remain on standby," Bogo announced before he followed Clawhauser out of the room.

"Yes sir," Higgins, a hippo , said with a curt nod. The hippo got out of his seat and made his way to the front as Bogo left the room with Clawhauser. Bogo followed Clawhauser down the hallway before the duo made their way to the Chief's office.

Bogo quickly picked up the phone in his office. "This is Chief Bogo speaking," Bogo said. " _Good morning, Chief. I take it that you are having a pleasant day so far? Or at least a better day than your friend, John Bosworth,_ " a gruff voice said over the phone. Bogo's eyes widened before narrowing into a glare.

"Who are you?" Bogo asked as he set up the recording feature on his office phone. " _You may call me Simon. And before you start searching for me in your database, please keep in mind that this is an alias,_ " Simon said. "Alright, what do you want?" Bogo asked him. " _I want to play a little game. It's called Simon Says. However, I do not wish to play it with_ _ **you**_ _. I want Sergeant Nick Wilde and Sergeant Judy Wilde. I want them on the phone in five minutes,_ " Simon said.

"Wait, what?" Bogo asked in confusion. " _I'm sorry, did I stutter? I said that I want Nicholas Piberius Wilde and Judith Laverne Wilde on the phone with me in five minutes, or do I have to blow up another building to get your cooperation?_ " Simon responded in a threatening manner.

"Why do you want them?" Bogo asked. " _The clock is ticking, Chief. I'd get them on the phone if I were you. I'll give you more details after that happens,_ " Simon said. Bogo looked over at Clawhauser. "Clawhauser, get the Wildes in here. Now," Bogo ordered. Clawhauser rushed over to Bogo's desk and hit the intercom button. "Attention, will Sergeants Wilde and Wilde please report to Chief Bogo's office ASAP? That's under three minutes, thank you," Clawhauser said into the intercom.

Three minutes later, Judy and Nick barged into Bogo's office, panting. "Okay, what's the emergency?" Nick asked, almost out of breath. Bogo looked over at Clawhauser and motioned for him to get closer. "Here," Bogo said as he gave the phone to Nick, putting it on the speaker setting. " _Clawhauser, I need you to get Captain Glover, inform him, and have him get a team ready,_ " Bogo whispered to the portly cheetah.

Clawhauser nodded his head in understanding before leaving the room. Meanwhile, Nick and Judy were listening to the phone. " _Am I speaking to Sergeants Nicholas P. Wilde and Judith L. Wilde?_ " Simon asked. "Yes," Nick responded. " _Good. That's a hundred innocent lives saved. Now, Sergeants, I wish to play a game with you. It's called Simon Says, and I'm Simon,_ " Simon said.

"Oookaaaayyyyy," Nick said, raising an eyebrow. " _I have a number of explosive devices hidden throughout Zootopia, and you are both going on a bit of a scavenger hunt to find them,_ " Simon said. Nick and Judy's eyes widened. " _However, I must lay out some ground rules. First, Simon says that you are not allowed to use any official police transportation, except for that little meter maid cart. You may use that, but you won't be able to reach your destinations in time,_ " Simon said.

"That figures," Nick muttered. " _Second, Simon says that you are not allowed to receive help from any other police officers after the game begins. You have only each other to rely upon. And don't get cute with trying to use undercover officers to aid you. Do that even once and I will simply detonate the bomb as soon as you arrive at the destination,_ " Simon said.

Nick sighed, while Judy furrowed her brows. "Okay, anything else?" Judy asked him. " _Yes. I want you both to go to inner Beaktown on Outback Island and wear signs that say 'I hate pig-wolves and boot-skins',_ " Simon said. "Wait, what about the bombs!?" Nick asked him worriedly. " _Ha! I didn't say 'Simon Says', idiot. Learn to pay attention, and you might just survive what I have in store for you,_ " Simon said.

"Why are you doing this?" Judy asked. " _If you survive until nightfall, perhaps you will find out. If you don't... then it won't matter,_ " Simon said with a chuckle. " _One more thing, Simon says that you are not required to wear your patrol uniform. However, I doubt you will have much time to change into anything comfortable before the game begins. After all, you only have ten minutes to reach your first destination, where a special track phone will be waiting for you, along with the special number to reach me. It is pre-paid with a set number of minutes for talk and text, so use it wisely,_ " Simon said.

"Where's the first destination?" Nick asked. " _There is an alley about two blocks away from City Hall and near Ivory Avenue, where I have hidden a briefcase and the phone. Arrive there and call me with the phone. I would also advise that you call me_ _ **before**_ _opening the briefcase,_ " Simon replied. "What's in it; the first bomb?" Nick asked. " _No, it's a collection of your mother's underwear. Of course it's a bomb, you dolt,_ " Simon replied.

"How do we know the bomb won't simply go off the moment we arrive?" Judy asked. " _Because then the game would be over too quickly. After all, I have a large assortment of bombs hidden throughout the rest of the city. It would be a shame to let those just sit there with no one to deactivate them,_ " Simon replied. "Fine, but are we allowed to hand the bombs off to someone after we've disarmed them?" Nick asked.

" _Simon says yes._ _ **BUT**_ _only_ _ **after**_ _you've left for your next destination. I'd recommend using children as couriers between you and the rest of the police. They love peeking into bags and briefcases out of curiosity,_ " Simon said with a chuckle. " _Anyway, at the very least, Simon says that you should use the bathroom now, because once the game starts, there is no stopping,_ " Simon said.

"We already went after we arrived at the station," Nick said. " _Then I guess you should start running to your first destination. Remember the rules. Bye,_ " Simon said before hanging up. Nick and Judy looked over at Chief Bogo. "Do you think he's bluffing?" Nick asked the cape buffalo. Bogo shook his head. "No. He already blew up the corporate office of Curlton & Associates. I'm not taking that risk with the rest of the city. Get moving," Bogo replied firmly.

Nick and Judy both nodded their heads before turning around and running out the door. Bogo looked back down at phone with a glare before placing back on its holder. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath.

 **Seven Minutes Later, at Ivory Avenue...**

Nick and Judy waited as the traffic light turned red and the walk signal activated. They both hurriedly dashed across the street, looking for the alley way. "How much time do we have left?" Nick asked Judy as they frantically looked around for the alley. "Less than a minute," Judy replied breathlessly as she looked at her watch.

"Shit!" Nick exclaimed, before he saw the alley. "Found it!" he yelled, grabbing Judy by the arm and pulling her along as he raced into the narrow space between two buildings. Trash littered the ground, with a newspaper covering half of a large briefcase. Grabbing the paper, Nick threw it to the side as he saw the track phone taped to the top of it.

Nick sliced the tape off and retrieved the phone, turning it on and waiting for the menu to load. "Come on, come on!" Nick whispered. "How much time?" he asked Judy. "Nine seconds!" she replied worriedly. "Oh shit, oh shit!" Nick muttered as the phone finally loaded its menu. He quickly tapped on the contacts list and chose the one labeled 'Simon', dialing the number quickly.

"Please pick up. Please pick up," Nick begged. A dial tone was heard, before the sound of the phone being answered came through. " _Hello, Sergeant Wilde. You're ten seconds late,_ " Simon said in a disappointed tone. "Well what do you want? You didn't say which specific alleyway!" Nick replied.

" _Oh, my mistake. You haven't opened the briefcase yet, have you?_ " Simon asked them. "No, not yet," Nick replied. Judy listened in carefully, her sensitive ears picking up Simon's words easily. " _Very good. You obeyed that part, but since you_ _ **were**_ _late, that means I have to make things a little difficult for you. I want you to open the briefcase, and listen very carefully to my words. Do you understand? Listen and pay very close attention, Nicholas Wilde,_ " Simon said.

"You didn't say 'Simon Says'," Nick replied. " _So you_ **are** _paying attention. Very good. Now, Simon says open the briefcase,_ " Simon said. Judy hesitantly unlatched the small locking buckles from the top and opened the case up, revealing a small LCD screen and an alpha-numeric keypad ontop of a tiny computer system.

Opening the case the full way, Judy saw two small tubes of liquid, with clear tubes connecting them to something underneath the small screen and keypad system. Judy heard, only at the last second, a clicking and sliding sound. Looking down, she saw a small pressure pad connected to the electronic system and the containers. A message flashed on the screen.

 **I AM A BOMB.**

 **YOU HAVE NOW ARMED ME.**

 **YOU HAVE T-MINUS 120 SECONDS TO DEACTIVATE ME.**

 **PLEASE ENTER THE CORRECT DEACTIVATION CODE.**

"Oh shit," Judy muttered, causing Nick to look down at the screen. "Fuck!" he hissed. " _Oh, I should have warned you that there was a pressure-sensitive activation timer in there. Such a bad, naughty memory I have, slipping up like that. Bad memory! Very bad memory,_ " Simon said, scolding himself mockingly. "What's the code to deactivate it?" Nick asked.

" _Well, had you arrived on time, I would have stalled and given you the code at the last second. However, since you arrived late, I want you to solve a riddle for me. Simon says solve this riddle or die,_ " Simon said gleefully. "We're listening," Nick said, forcing Judy's ears to twitch as she looked up at her husband.

" _Are you both listening?_ " Simon asked. "Yes, we're both listening!" Judy replied from her spot crouched on the ground. " _Good. Now, here is the riddle,_ " Simon said, intentionally taking his time. " _I was on my way to Saint Ives when I passed a lion with seven mates. Each mate had seven cubs. Each cub had seven toys. Toys, cubs, mates, how many were going to Saint Ives? The deactivation code is Seven-Five-Three, plus the answer to the riddle. Call me back when you have succeeded in disarming the bomb, otherwise I'll be listening for the explosion,_ " Simon said before hanging up.

Nick ended the call and looked at his wife. "Did you get all of that? One guy, seven mates, seven cubs, seven toys for each. Shit, okay... the guy, the lion and his mates-" "Wait, I'm good at multiplying," Judy interrupted him. "I can do this," Nick said. "No, seven by seven is forty-nine, and forty nine by seven is... three hundred and forty-three, plus the lion and the guy, and that makes three hundred and forty-five!" Judy said.

Nick nodded his head as she reached down to enter the number. Judy had already entered 753, but there were still five spaces left. _Wait... I was on_ **my way** _to St. Ives when I passed-_ "Judy, wait!" Nick shouted at her. "Huh?" she asked him, glancing back at the countdown timer, which was now at twenty seconds. "That's not the answer! It's one! The answer is one!" Nick said.

"What? How can it be just one!?" Judy asked him incredulously. "Because, it's just the _guy_ going to Saint Ives. He's _passing_ the lion and his mates!" Nick explained. "You're right," she whispered in realization. "Yes, so enter four zeros and a one," Nick said. Judy quickly complied and pressed the 0-key four times before entering one.

 **DEACTIVATION CODE ACCEPTED.**

 **CONGRATULATIONS.**

 **YOU GET TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY, FLESH BAGS.**

Nick and Judy both raised eyebrows at the end of the message. "Huh. Whoever programmed this thing certainly has an odd sense of humor," Nick mumbled. Judy nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright, let's call Simon," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and took the phone from Nick, dialing the number for their puppet-master. " _Oh, you solved it? For someone so good at multiplying, I guess you may have been disappointed with how little you actually needed to do, weren't you?_ " Simon asked her with a chuckle. "Har-har," Judy said, unamused.

" _Now, Simon says make sure that the briefcase is locked up tight, because if you close it and open it again, you'll have to go through this mess all over again,_ " Simon said. Judy looked over at the briefcase. "Okay. We're locking it up good and tight now," Judy said as she grabbed the lock key from inside the case next to one of the liquid tubes. Nick closed the case and Judy used the key to lock the buckles on the outside.

" _Now, are you ready for your next destination?_ " Simon asked them. "Wait, can't we hand off the briefcase to someone first?" Nick asked. " _Hm... let me think... not yet. Simon says you'll just have to carry it with you until I say otherwise. So, your next destination is at a casino and entertainment center, a large strip of sorts, in Sahara Square. I have an animal under my pay keeping an eye on the bomb until you enter the region,_ " Simon said.

"Why would you do that?" Judy asked him. " _The bomb is meant for_ _ **you**_ _. Letting someone else blow themselves up with it would be_ _ **cheating**_ _,_ " Simon said. " _Anyway, the bomb is located around the Longhorn Casino, at the Oasis Strip. Simon says to call after arriving for further instructions. Simon says that you have thirty minutes to make it and call me after reaching the front doors of the casino, or else the bomb will be detonated by remote. A lot of animals will die if you don't get there in time. As stated before, official police transportation is not allowed. Your thirty minutes begin... now,_ " Simon said before hanging up.

"Can we even make it there in thirty minutes on foot?" Nick asked his wife. "No. There's no way. Not on foot," she said, shaking her head. The duo rushed out of the alley and watched the traffic going by, seeing a large taxi stopping as the light at the intersection turned red. Behind it was a medium-sized taxi for smaller mammals, and it had no occupants save the driver. Judy smirked as an idea popped into her head.

"Nick," she said as she nudged his arm, "I think I found a way." "Huh?" he asked her before she pointed at the taxi. "Oh come on, there's no way that the driver will get us there in time," Nick said. "What if we're the ones driving?" Judy asked him.

"Carrots, think about what you're suggesting," Nick said. "We can't risk letting another bomb go off, Nick. We have no choice. Whatever it takes," Judy said. "God dammit," Nick muttered before Judy shot across the street. He quickly ran after her. "Judy, wait!" Nick cried out as he carried the briefcase.

Judy ran over to the driver's side door and pounded on the window. The driver, a leopard, turned his head to look at her and lowered the window. "You need a lift?" he asked her. "Yes! This is official ZPD business; we need to commandeer your vehicle!" Judy exclaimed.

The leopard raised an eyebrow. "Say what?" he asked her, confused. "We need to commandeer your taxi!" Judy shouted frantically. "Unless you can get us to Oasis Strip in under thirty minutes!" she added. "Today? Maybe in forty, but not thirty," the leopard said.

Judy frowned and leaped up at him. "Sir, _please!_ This is a life-or-death situation!" Judy yelled as she grabbed him. "Where's your cruiser? Don't you guys have your own cop cars?" the driver asked them suspiciously as he tried to pry Judy off of him. "It was stolen! It was stolen and the suspects are heading for the Longhorn Casino! If we don't get that car back and save the passenger inside, we could lose our jobs!" Judy lied dramatically.

"Okay! Okay!" the leopard said, having been convinced by Judy's lie. "Thank you! Now, if you'll let _me_ do the driving, then you won't get fired for any traffic violations!" Judy added. "Okay, fine. Just let me get over to the other side," the leopard said as he got out. Judy quickly leapt inside, unlocking the passenger door.

"Nick, get in the other side, now!" Judy cried out. Nick nodded his head and ran over to the other side before getting into the passenger side and closing the door. "Hey, what about me!? This is my cab!" the leopard cried out as Judy locked the doors. "Thank you for your cooperation!" Judy shouted before honking the horn, causing the leopard to run onto the sidewalk. Nick and Judy both buckled their seat belts before Judy backed up the car and pulled out around the larger taxi, rushing through traffic and making a right turn before taking another one at the nearest intersection, causing several cars to honk their horns.

"Judy, what the _fuck_ are you doing!?" Nick asked her. "We have less than thirty minutes, Nick, and we have a long way to go," Judy replied. "Judy, we won't even have our badges after this is over," Nick said with a frown. "Nick, we can't just let this guy kill hundreds of innocent animals! If we don't get there in time, he'll detonate the bomb remotely! Didn't you hear him!?" Judy asked in response.

"Yes! But... you do realize that we might not have jobs anymore because of that stunt you just pulled, right?" Nick asked her. "I... We can't stop now, Nick! I don't like doing this either, but it's the only choice we have!" Judy replied. Nick could see the tears threatening to spill down his wife's cheek as she struggled internally with her decision.

"Alright. Let's keep going. Just don't get us killed," Nick said as Judy made ran red light after red light, narrowly missing large giraffe and elephant-sized cars and trucks as they passed through each intersection. "Put the pedal to the metal," Judy said under her breath. "Not even Gibson could get away with this shit," Nick muttered to himself.

Soon, they came across a large intersection with traffic packed too tight for them to weave straight through. Judy quickly spun the wheel and made a sharp right turn, passing several cars of all sizes before making a sharp left turn to make an illegal U-Turn between the traffic ahead of them and behind them. "What are you doing!?" Nick asked her in terror.

"Turning us around!" Judy shouted back as they passed by the back wheels of an elephant's car in the immediate left lane before passing in front of a large truck in the right lane. Judy glared at the back of a large moving van that was in front of them, seeing that there was just enough space between it and the elephant car next to it. Nick saw her line of sight and frowned. "Oh, please, Judy. Don't!" he cried out in fear.

"Trust me, Nick! I know what I'm doing!" Judy exclaimed wildly. "Judy, not even _God_ knows what you're doing at this point!" Nick exclaimed, his heart pounding away at a million beats per minute. "Just trust me!" Judy exclaimed as she hit the gas pedal even harder, flooring the car as she sped between the two large vehicles.

"We're not even gonna _live_ to deactivate the bomb at this rate!" Nick screamed. "Honey? _Please_ shut up!" Judy snapped at her husband as she made a right turn at the intersection, cutting off the moving van, which honked its horn at her. " _Fucking asshole!_ " the driver yelled as Judy and Nick passed into the lane and kept going.

* * *

Looking through a pair of binoculars from a rooftop near one of the transitional tunnels between Savanna Central and Sahara Square, Khali Sherakh smirked as he watched the taxi weave through traffic recklessly. "My, my. I should have brought popcorn," he said to himself. John Phoenix glanced over at him and chuckled slightly. "When they've left Savanna Central, we'll start getting ready for the operation," Phoenix said.

"Yes, but shouldn't we wait until they're taking care of their next task before we move? Make certain that they've reached the target, just in case? Just because they can't receive help from the rest of the ZPD doesn't mean they can't call for someone to check out a disturbance at a location they know of," Sherakh said.

"Yeah, but they don't know that," Phoenix said. "True, but I don't think we should take the risk. At least, not yet," Sherakh said. "How about we call the boss and ask him ourselves?" Phoenix suggested. "Go ahead. Let's find out what he wants us to do. After all, this is _his party_ ," Sherakh said.

"Alright, I'll call him," Phoenix said as he took out his phone and called Komo. " _Phoenix? What's the situation?_ " Komo asked him. "Bunny and Clyde are on their way to Sahara Square. But, do you want us to begin our operation after they've entered Sahara Square, or only after they've reached the casino?" Phoenix asked him.

" _Wait until I give you the order. Just keep tabs on them and the other police forces in Savanna Central until I receive the next phone call from the duo. After that, I will contact you with your orders. Until then, however, just wait and watch. Goodbye,_ " Komo said before hanging up.

"He said he'll call us to give the order when he's ready," Phoenix relayed. "That works for me. It's probably best that neither of us take any major actions without him telling us this early on. Besides, moving too soon could give us away," Sherakh said in response. "You're getting smarter," Phoenix said. "Hn," Sherakh grunted in response.

* * *

"Judy, look out!" Nick cried as Judy swerved the taxi in front of an oncoming big rig truck. She hit the gas and passed by another car before weaving into the space in front of it, just before the truck sped past them. Nick had dug his claws into the seat as he frantically glanced around at the traffic that they were passing.

"We're gonna die," Nick whined. "We are _not_ gonna die! No one else is going to die today! Not on my watch!" Judy exclaimed as she pulled out from behind the car in front of them and sped forward. She then saw a massive eighteen wheeler taking up two lanes of traffic. Judy frowned before turning the wheel, steering the car left into a wave on oncoming traffic. "Judy, what the _fuck_ are you _doing!?_ " Nick cried out in terror as multiple cars and trucks honked their horns at them.

"You'll see!" Judy replied before she weaved around the various cars and trucks driving by them. She eventually managed to get back into their own proper lane, speeding in front of nearly a dozen other cars and the 18-Wheeler before settling back in line with the rest of traffic. "How much time do we have?" Judy asked Nick, who was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. "Nick! How much time!?" Judy asked him.

"Huh!? Oh! Uh... seventeen minutes!" Nick replied as Judy hit the pedal again and passed around more traffic before exiting the transitional tunnel. "Judy... where did you learn to drive like this!?" Nick asked her after they almost hit an oncoming minivan carrying a family of coyotes. "Does it really matter at this point!?" she asked him in response.

"I don't know!" Nick shouted in response as Judy swerved to avoid another car before passing two more on her right and pulling into the passing lane again. "Judy, this is reckless endangerment!" Nick exclaimed as she pulled out and sped between two large cars passing by each other. "I see the strip!" Judy exclaimed as they got closer. "We're still at seven to ten minutes away from it!" Nick shouted at her as he saw the buildings in the distance. Judy grinned and sped forward.

 **Longhorn Casino, Oasis Strip, Sahara Square, 12 Minutes Later...**

Judy brought the taxi to an abrupt halt near the front doors of the Longhorn Casino. Were it not for the seat belts, she and Nick would both have been flung forward into the windshield. "J-Judy? Please, never do that again," Nick requested. "We... how much time do-do we have?" Judy asked him. Nick brought out his cell phone and looked at the clock. "We have five minutes. Shit!" Nick exclaimed before he unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the taxi, slamming the door behind him before opening it back up and grabbing the briefcase from the floor.

Judy and Nick raced over to the front doors as several animals looked at the taxi before turning their attention to the two cops. Judy quickly pulled out the phone and called "Simon." " _Hello, Judith. I take it you're at the front doors of the casino?_ " Simon asked her. "Yes. We-We're here," Judy said. " _Good. So, you have five minutes to spare. I'm impressed,_ " Simon said. "Just tell us what you want us to do," Judy said.

" _Eager, are we? Fair enough. The bomb is located inside a slot machine on the first floor of the casino. Unlike the pressure bomb, however, this one is tied to the slot machine's inner workings, so you'll have to open the back of each machine to find it. Simon says you may call for a bomb disposal team after deactivating this one, however, do not do so beforehand. If I see signs that a bomb squad is heading your way before you've called me, I_ _ **will**_ _detonate the device remotely. Do you understand?_ " Simon asked.

"Yeah. We... we understand," Nick said. " _Good. Here are your clues for finding the right machine. It is large, red, and yellow. There is no blue on it at all. There is desert imagery on it,_ " Simon said. Nick glanced inside and saw that almost half of the machines in view had the desert theme on them. "Anything else? Any other details?" Nick asked.

" _Yes. Simon says find the answer to the following question: 'X' equals two plus two, minus two, multiplied by two, and then divided by two. Add 'X' to seventeen. Simon says that will be your slot machine number. But you'd better hurry. Simon says you only have fifteen minutes to find the machine_ _ **and**_ _deactivate the bomb before calling again. And there are no extensions on the deadline. One more thing. Simon says you may hand off the other bomb after you have completed this task. Have fun,_ " Simon said.

Nick and Judy could practically hear the grin on Simon's mouth with his last words before he hung up on them. Nick and Judy walked into the casino, where an employee walked up to them. "Um, excuse me, but you are not allowed to park that vehicle there," the employee, a wildebeest, said. "Look, we're on a deadline," Nick said.

"What's in the suitcase?" the wildebeest asked. "It's... evidence. Listen, we have word that someone is using some machines here to hide and distribute counterfeit money, and we need to check the slot machines," Nick lied. "Are you serious?" the wildebeest asked him. "Trust us, this is not exactly a good day for us," Judy said.

"You may want to move your vehicle first," the employee said. "Sir, this is official ZPD business. We need to check out one of your machines," Nick said. "Well, " _officers_ ", I'd like to see some identification," the employee demanded. Nick and Judy both took out their badges and IDs, earning a nod of approval from the wildebeest.

"Is there anything else you need?" the employee asked them. "Yeah. We need you to try to keep this quiet until we're finished with our search. Just give us fifteen minutes, please," Nick requested. "Fifteen minutes. I can do that. I will, however, have to speak with the manager to let him know," the employee said. "Of course. Just give us... shit, nine minutes! Just give us nine minutes to find the bo-I mean, money," Nick said.

"D-Did you... were you about to say, 'bomb'?" the employee asked. "Listen, you have to keep this quiet. This thing has a remote control. Whoever planted it in here can detonate it at any second if he finds out that we've told anyone. Just get your manager and try to keep things under control, okay?" Nick asked.

"S-Sure. My mouth is shut," the employee said before running off. "We're fucked," Nick said forlornly as he and Judy watched the employee run through the casino. "We need to hurry," Judy said as she and Nick hurried over to the desert-themed slot machines. Judy took a minute to remember the words that "Simon" said to them. _Simon said... he didn't say 'Simon says' when telling us anything but the machine's number!_

"Nick, wait!" Judy said as she grabbed his arm. "What? What's wrong?" Nick asked her. "He didn't say 'Simon says' when he told us about the colors and other details of the slot machine. Only the machine's identification number," Judy explained. "Right. The ID. He said the machine number was seventeen plus X. X is... two plus two, minus two, times two, and finally divided by two," Nick said. "Okay, so... two plus two equals four. Four minus two is two again. Two multiplied by two is four again. And four divided by two is... two again," Judy said in confusion.

"The answer was always two?" Nick asked her. "He could have just told us that it was seventeen plus two," Nick grumbled. "He wants us to waste our time so that we can't find the bo-the you-know-what in time," Judy said as she noticed several animals looking at them. "Okay, so with that out of the way... we should look for a... blue slot machine," Nick said.

"Are you sure?" Judy asked him. "Yeah," Nick said as he looked at the numbers on the tops of each slot machine. "But... is it nineteen, or one-seventy-two?" he asked himself. "Um... what?" Judy asked him. "Carrots, you look for a machine numbered nineteen, and I'll look for one numbered one-seventy-two," Nick said before parting ways with her.

Judy and Nick quickly scrambled around the casino as they searched for the machines. "Where the hell did you come up with one-seventy-two?" Judy grumbled under her breath as she passed multiple slot machines, searching for the one numbered nineteen. She soon found it, with a large rhino playing it. Running over to the back, Judy saw that the paneling was slightly askew, and she noticed at least two screws lying on the floor.

She looked over at the rhino, who was also wearing a tool-belt. "Hey, do you have a screwdriver? Preferably Phillips head?" Judy asked him. "Say what?" the rhino asked her. "Do you have a Phillips head screwdriver?" Judy asked him. "Yeah. But what do you-hey!" the rhino exclaimed as Judy lunged forward and grabbed his tool-belt.

"What the hell are you doing!?" he asked her in surprise. "Sir, this is ZPD business! I need to use this screwdriver," Judy apologized before leaping down and unscrewing the paneling of the back of the machine. "Hey, what are you doing to the slots!?" he asked her. "Sir, please! This is ZPD business!" Judy pleaded as she fumbled twice with the screwdriver. "Come on!" she whispered to herself.

Nick soon returned to her. "Okay I couldn't-did you find it!?" he asked her as he saw her opening the paneling. "Oh. I see. You're both part of some scheme to-" "Shut the fuck up!" Nick swore at the rhino as he pulled out his badge and ID. Judy soon finished removing the paneling. "Got it! Okay, I... oh shit," Judy said with a frown.

"What?" Nick asked her. "We've only got four minutes on the timer, and I don't know where to start," Judy said, prompting Nick to kneel down behind her and look into the open space. He saw the bomb and timer, with tubes, wires, and small containers of liquid connected to each other. There was a thud as the rhino stepped behind them. "Okay, assholes, I don't know what you're... the hell is that?" he asked as he saw the device. "Um... _that_... is a bomb," Nick said.

The rhino's eyes widened before he stepped away. "Bomb! There's a bomb in the casino!" the rhino shouted. Nick and Judy both frowned as they realized what was going to happen soon. "Shit, someone's gonna call the ZPD any second!" Nick muttered. Judy looked back over at the rhino and saw a pair of wire cutters in his belt. She shot back over to him and grabbed the cutters before running back over and glancing at the wires and tubes.

Judy reached inside and put a paw on one of the tubes connected to the liquid. "Nick, Simon has been using the same setup for these bombs, but I don't know if I've seen these before today," Judy said. "Okay, two or more canisters of liquid. Um, that... okay, that's... uh, shit. Um, that's... it's a... bi-binary! Yeah, binary explosive! When two chemical agents meet, they react explosively. So... just keep the liquids from touching each other!" Nick explained, silently praying that he was right.

Judy reached into the machine, grabbed a tube, and yanked hard, pulling it free. The air pressure that had been inside of the tube was released, causing the liquid to shoot out onto Judy and the floor. "Fuck!" Judy cried out as Nick pulled her away. He then grabbed the cutters and crimped down on the tube just enough to bend it and hold the liquid inside before cutting the wires of the bomb.

The lights on the slot machine turned off, and an anti-theft alarm began ringing from inside, before Nick cut that as well. "Judy, give me the phone," Nick said desperately. Judy nodded her head as she heard someone dialing 911 in panic. "Hello, Simon? We found the bomb and deactivated it!" Nick said frantically.

" _Very good. You are, however, twenty seconds late. Time to die,_ " Simon said. "What!? No!" Nick and Judy cried out. They soon heard chuckling on the other end of the line. " _Ha! Oh my... oh! Ha-ha! I didn't... I didn't say 'Simon says'! Ba-ha! You guys must be running on adrenaline by this point! I wish I could have seen your faces, or at least taken a picture!_ " Simon exclaimed over the phone.

"Uh, Simon... a patron saw the bomb and alerted the rest of the police. What does that mean for us?" Nick asked carefully. " _Nothing. You weren't the ones who called them, and so you are still playing by the rules. Although... I would suggest leaving for your next destination before the rest of the police arrive. It may be difficult to tell if you've been assisted or not should they arrive when you're still in the area,_ " Simon said.

"Okay, just let us hand off the other... device, and we'll proceed," Judy said with a sigh. " _Very well. Simon says that your next destination... is Central Station. I have something very special waiting for you and all of the passengers of the Inner Loop Line when it makes its one-thirty stop. Simon says you have until that time to arrive at the platform and call me,_ " Simon said before hanging up.

"Nick, what time is it right now?" Judy asked him. Nick looked at his watch. "It's twelve forty-five," he replied. "We have forty-five minutes to get to Central Station," Judy said. "Wait, we should get that stuff cleaned off of you," Nick said as he remembered how Judy had been splashed with the bomb's liquid. "There's no time," Judy said as she saw the crowd of panicked gamblers and casino patrons.

"Excuse me," a voice said from behind them. Nick and Judy both turned around to see a coyote wearing an employee uniform walking up to them. "Um, the manager explained to me that you are both police officers with a little problem. The rest of the police have been called and the bomb squad is on its way," the coyote said, nervously glancing over at the other patrons and employees who had been riled up and thrown into a chaotic frenzy.

"Sir, can we trust you to give this briefcase to the police when they arrive? It has a bomb inside of it that has a pressure-sensitive trigger mechanism, so don't open it," Nick said. "Absolutely. I will show this to the manager and have it placed in a secure location for the police when they arrive. However, is it locked?" the coyote asked them. "Yeah. Judy, give him the key," Nick said before Judy pulled the key out of her uniform pocket.

The coyote took the briefcase from Nick and the key from Judy. "Thank you. Now... um, which way should I hold it to keep it safe?" the coyote asked. "I don't remember. Just make sure that no one opens it," Nick said. "I most certainly will. Good luck with... wherever it is that you're going," the coyote said before Nick and Judy turned around and ran out of the casino.

Running outside, Nick and Judy saw the taxi being hitched up to a tow-truck. "We... we can find another way to get there," Nick said as he looked around the streets of Oasis Strip for another means of transportation. "Wait... how close is the nearest train station?" Judy asked Nick.

"I don't... uh... there's one near the Oasis Hotel, but that's the Bunnyburrow Line," Nick said, shaking his head in frustration. "Wait... there are two line stops by Agave Avenue. One of them is the Inner Loop Line," Nick said. "How far away is it?" Judy asked him. "On foot? A good fifteen minutes if we run," Nick said. "Then we'd better hurry," Judy said.

 **Fifteen Minutes Later...**

Almost out of breath, Nick and Judy reached the platform for the Agave Avenue Dual Line Station. "Okay, the Inner Loop Line should be on that end of the station," Nick said as he pointed to their left. "Let's move!" Judy exclaimed as they dashed forward. The Agave Avenue Dual Line Station was a massive facility, housing platforms for both the Inner Loop _and_ the Oasis Loop, albeit on separate ends of the station.

Nick and Judy rushed forward, panting as they made their way through a throng of animals entering and exiting the station. "At least... we don't have anyone shooting at us," Nick panted as he and Judy entered the front doors. "Amen to that," Judy said in agreement as they entered the lobby and ran down the stairs.

The train was just closing its doors as the duo reached the bottom. "Shit, run!" Nick cried. He and Judy both darted towards the closing doors of the nearest car. "We're not gonna make it!" Nick cried as Judy lunged forward and rolled into the car. He grabbed onto the doors with both paws to pause it just long enough to get inside before letting it close. Panting and almost out of breath, Nick and Judy looked around the car, seeing tigers, springbok, fallow deer, wildebeest, and coyotes looking at them in confusion.

"We... our cruiser broke and we have to get back to Savanna Central ASAP," Nick lied with a nervous chuckle. The other patrons all nodded their heads, most of them not really caring, and resumed their prior activities and conversations with each other. Nick walked over and pulled Judy up from the floor. "You okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah. That did _wonders_ for my back," Judy replied sarcastically. "Well... at least we made it onto the train," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and looked up at the TV attached to the wall of the car, before looking over at a digital clock mounted on another end of the car. "One O'clock," Judy said with wide eyes.

"When's the next stop?" Nick asked her. Judy pointed up at a wall-mounted digital display. "Vornoy Plaza? How long will it be stopped?" Nick asked rhetorically. Judy ran over to a small digital kiosk for public usage and accessed the train's stop schedule. "It'll be stopped for ten minutes," she said. "And when's the next stop after that?" Nick asked her. "Central Station, at one-thirty," she replied.

"Is the bomb on the train or at the station?" Nick asked her. "Simon didn't say," Judy replied with slumped shoulders. "Shit!" Nick spat. Looking over at the rest of the car, Nick saw a yellow phone box for maintenance and train staff. It was an old device, a relic of an older time, but it still had its uses under certain conditions and situations. Eyeing the box suspiciously, Nick walked over to it and saw that there was a tint to the wall next to it, which indicated that it had been moved from its original spot recently.

Gently reaching forward and nudging the box with his paw, Nick moved it slightly, before undoing the clasp on the side and opening it. Inside of the box... was a phone. "Huh. I was kind of expecting something else," Nick said to himself. "I'll guess we'll have to wait until we get to the station to ask Simon for information," Judy said reluctantly.

"At least we get a chance to breathe," Nick said as he looked at her. "Come on; let's get that stuff wiped off your uniform," he said as he saw a door to a bathroom. He motioned for Judy to follow him inside.

* * *

Inside the back of a black van moving through Savanna Central, Phoenix looked over at Sherakh from where he was sitting. "You gonna be okay there?" Phoenix asked him in a disinterested fashion. Sherakh was covering up his left eye with a bandage and sporting several gashes on his face, along with multiple bruises and cuts on his arms. Portions of his clothes were torn as well, and his left leg had several more cuts and bruises. Sherakh glanced at Phoenix and frowned at him. "Shut up," he spat in annoyance.

Phoenix chuckled in response. "Relax. It could be worse. She could've _branded ya_ ," Phoenix said with a grin. Sherakh looked at him with a grumpy half-smile and shook his head in agitation at the dingo. "If you had helped me instead of just hanging back, this wouldn't be so bad," Sherakh said. "Yeah... but I figured it was time you got yourself a bit of a battle scar of something. I mean... it's only fair," Phoenix replied with a sneer as he opened his shirt and pointed at the very brand mark that Sherakh himself had given him years earlier.

"Fuck you," Sherakh spat at him. "No, _fuck you_ ," Phoenix retorted with a grin. "Forget it. Let's just return to home base and wait for further instructions. We completed the operation," Sherakh said with a frown. "Cheer up, Khali. After all, I hear that some females are _attracted_ to males with scars," Phoenix said with a smirk. Sherakh merely growled in response.

* * *

 **Approaching Central Station...**

Judy watched out the window as the train entered a large tunnel that soon sloped downward before leveling out. They were nearing the underground portion of Central Station. Judy's uniform had been mostly cleaned and wiped, although it was still moist in some spots. "Okay, the phone's ready," Judy said as she looked up at the digital clock on the wall.

 **01:28 pm.**

The train soon pulled up to the landing platform, with less than a minute to spare. Nick and Judy both rushed forward and leapt out of the doors onto the platform, pushing past several animals. "Hey, watch it!" some of them shouted at them.

Judy quickly pulled out the phone and dialed Simon's number. " _Hello there, Wilde. I take it you have both reached the platform?_ " Simon asked. "Yeah. We're here," Judy said, with Nick listening in while looking around for any signs of the next bomb. " _You continue to surprise me with your perseverance. How annoying,_ " Simon said facetiously, not that Judy or Nick were aware of this.

"Okay, where's the bomb?" Judy asked him. " _Patience, my dear. Patience. The bomb is located in a trash can next to an emergency phone on the wall. There should be a yellow line over top of it. Unfortunately, it is set to go off in three seconds,_ " Simon said. "What!? Oh shit!" Nick and Judy asked before diving for cover. The phone skid out of Judy's paws and over onto the floor.

Not hearing or feeling anything, the duo slowly got up and looked over at the phone, hearing the sound of laughter on the other end. Nick walked over and picked up the phone, just before an oblivious elephant put his foot on the ground. Quickly holding the phone to his chest for safety, Nick turned around and look at the trash can, before turning his attention to his wife.

" _Ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha! Oh, oh! Ho-ho-ho! I didn't say 'Simon Says'! You guys are terrible listeners!_ " Simon belted out with more raucous laughter. The laughter soon died down, and the mysterious animal began speaking again. " _Okay. I'm done with the joking. But, really. I honestly do wish I had been there to see your reactions. It would have been worth getting caught. Anyway, Simon says that_ -" "Yeah, real funny, jerkoff!" Nick spat into the phone.

" _Do not interrupt me, Nicholas. Now, as I was saying,_ _ **Jerkoff**_ _, the location of the next bomb is on the ground floor above you. To aid you further, it is near a source of water used by certain species to reach to ground floor. If it is not obvious when you reach the lobby, then I feel so sorry for all of the animals in the station. Simon says call me after you've found the bomb and have deactivated it. Good luck,_ " Simon said before hanging up.

"The ground floor lobby?" Nick asked as he looked at the large sets of stairs near an elevator. "Come on," Judy said as she grabbed Nick by the arm and pulled him along. The duo quickly made their way up the stairs and into the lobby, looking around for a source of water. "I don't... wait, over there," Nick said as he saw a hippo coming out of a water-escalator.

"I see it," Judy said. They both quickly ran over to each side of the water pool, carefully avoiding the various rodents exiting the transport tubes nearby. Judy looked all over the floor on her side of the water area, before she looked up at the raised section that was covered in plants. Her eyes widened as a light bulb in her head flickered on.

Judy quickly hopped up onto a bench before hopping onto the small atrium of soil and plants on the arch overlooking the water pool. There, sitting in the dirt, was a briefcase. Next to the briefcase were two large empty jugs. One was a five gallon jug, and the other was a three gallon jug. Judy looked down at the pool of water below. There was something in the back of her mind, an itching sensation, that made her wary of opening up the briefcase.

Nick soon crawled up and saw the jugs and the briefcase. "Okay, what the hell is _this?_ " Nick asked her. "I don't know, but I can't decide if we should open the briefcase or not," Judy said in response. "Let's grab the jugs and the briefcase. We can get a better look on a bench," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and grabbed the jugs while Nick grabbed the briefcase.

Carefully climbing down from the plants and onto the floor, Nick placed the briefcase on the ground. "Okay, do you think the jugs are connected to this?" Judy asked him. "They have to be. Simon told us to look in an area near water, so those can't just be here by coincidence," Nick replied.

He slowly moved forward to unhook the latches of the briefcase. "Wait, don't open it!" Judy implored him. "Come on, we have to," Nick retorted. "Nick, what it has a pressure timer like the first one?" Judy asked him. "And what if it doesn't? What if the countdown has already started and we need to open it to find out how to stop it?" he asked her in response.

Nick and Judy both stared into each other's eyes, terrified of both possibilities, and well aware that in either scenario, their time could be very limited. Nick reached into his uniform and took out a quarter. "Heads, we open it. Tails, we call Simon and pray that this is a dud," Nick said shakily. Judy looked at the briefcase worriedly, gulping as Nick flipped the coin into the air.

The coin flipped over and over as it rose and then descended, before Nick caught it and placed it on the op of his paw. Removing his paw from the top, he looked down at the coin. "Heads. We open it," Nick said with shaky breath. Judy and Nick both sucked in a breath of air as the fox slowly undid the latches of the briefcase and opened it, revealing another small computer and screen system, along with a scale on the bottom. Nick held the briefcase open, but not all the way. He waited with baited breath for any sign of the machine turning on.

"Maybe it's a dud," he said hopefully before he pushed the rest of the lid back, causing it to click in place. This caused a beeping noise to sound and the lights to come on, along with the screen, which showed them both a message. "Me and my big mouth," Nick muttered in dismay.

 **I AM A BOMB.**

 **YOU HAVE JUST ARMED ME.**

 **TO SURVIVE, PLACE FOUR GALLONS OF WATER ON MY SCALE BEFORE THE COUNTDOWN TIMER REACHES 00:00 MINUTES AND SECONDS.**

Accompanying this message was a voice overlay. " _Good job! You've entered the final lap! Now, alongside your bomb are two jugs for water. One holds five gallons and the other holds three gallons. You must place exactly four gallons of water on the scale to stop the countdown, and it must be precise. One ounce over four and it explodes, one ounce under and it explodes. Don't worry about the weight of the jug, though. That's already been programmed into the computer, meaning that you must also choose the correct jug as well. I don't need to say 'Simon Says' for you to know what will happen if you fail. Call me when you have disarmed the bomb, and have a nice day,_ " Simon's voice said with a courteous tone.

"What the hell did we do to deserve this?" Nick asked rhetorically. "That doesn't matter right now," Judy said as she looked at the water jugs. "We have to disarm this thing," she added as she looked at the countdown timer. They only had 3.5 minutes left to disarm the bomb.

"Okay, Nick, I need you to fill the five gallon jug and then empty three gallons into the three-gallon jug. Then, empty the three-gallon jug so that only one gallon remains. There are still line markers on the three-gallon jug," Judy said. "What?" Nick asked her. "Trust me on this!" Judy said as she grabbed the three-gallon jug while Nick grabbed the five-gallon jug.

"Okay, what do I do again?" Nick asked Judy as she raced over to the water pool and began filling the jug. "Nick, get your tail over here!" Judy yelled at him. Nick quickly ran over to her side and began filling the jug.

* * *

Komo Domo sat back in his chair as the door opened. He looked over at Phoenix and Sherakh as they stepped into the room. "John. Sher-what happened to _you?_ " Komo asked the tiger. "We had... unexpected resistance," Sherakh replied. Komo looked the dishelved tiger up and down, taking in the various scars and bruises on his arms and face, along with the torn up parts of his outfit. "I take it you had a fight with a blender?" Komo asked him humorously. "Not exactly," Sherakh said with a sigh.

"But you still accomplished the mission, right? They're in our possession now?" Komo asked him. "Yes. We've got them," Sherakh replied with a sigh. Komo nodded his head and smiled.

He remained quiet for a minute, as he closed his eyes and hummed in appreciation. He then opened his eyes again and looked at Sherakh and Phoenix. "Now, Sherakh. I just need to know one more thing," Komo said. "Yes, Boss?" Sherakh asked the dragon. "You made certain that tomorrow's bomb is properly hidden, right? No one is going to find it until we call the police and send them out?" Komo asked him.

"Positive. Besides, the only way to find it is to take apart what it's hidden inside," Sherakh replied with a firm nod. "No one questioned you when you installed it? No one asked too many questions?" Komo asked him. "I answered everything according to your script," Sherakh replied. "Good," Komo said with a smile. "Now, we just wait for the Wildes to call me, and I can send them on their final chase for the day," the dragon added with a smirk.

* * *

 **Back At Central Station...**

"Careful, Nick! You're spilling the water!" Judy exclaimed as Nick poured the water from the three gallon jug into the five gallon jug. "I'm sorry, but this has been a very stresful day, Carrots!" Nick retorted as he tried to keep his shaking paws steady. "Almost there," Judy said before she looked over at the countdown timer.

There were only forty-five seconds left on the timer. "Shit! Move, move!" Judy implored as Nick pulled his jug away from the other one. Judy quickly stepped around the water puddles on the ground and made her way over to the briefcase, gently setting the jug down on the scale.

 **00:30**

 **COUNTDOWN ABORTED.**

 **HUZZAH.**

"Who the hell programmed these things?" Nick asked rhetorically. "We'll find out when this is over," Judy said before reaching into her uniform and pulling out the track phone. She dialed Simon's number and waited for a response.

" _So, you've survived again, eh? I must say, this is a bit annoying. However, I suppose it's to be expected from the two of you. Now, I have just one more destination for you today,_ " Simon said over the phone. "Wait, just one?" Nick asked. " _Yes, only one. Are you ready?_ " Simon asked them. "Yeah, we're ready," Judy said.

" _Okay. Simon says that your destination is Four-Nineteen Evergreen Road, Savanna Central. You may take your time if you'd like,_ " Simon said. "Wait... say that address again," Judy said as a sense of dread began to well up inside of her stomach. " _The destination... is Four-Nineteen Evergreen Road, Savanna Central. You should be quite familiar with it. Call me five minutes after you've arrived. There's no rush._ " Simon then hung up the phone.

"Judy... please tell me I heard that wrong," Nick said. "No," she said with a lump in her throat. Judy quickly took out her other phone and dialed Janet Clayworth's number. She received only a busy signal. "Nick, you try calling Janet. Call the house phone!" Judy implored him. Nick nodded his head and tried both after each one had failed.

"No. Please, no," Nick whimpered as hundreds of horrifying scenarios ran through his head, each one worse than the last. "Judy, what's the fastest way home?" Nick asked her. "We'll call a taxi," Judy said. "Alright. Let's go," Nick said in agreement, before the two officers dismantled the bomb and closed the briefcase back up, taking it with them. They had one destination left for the day.

* * *

Author's Notes: See? This is how I merged _Lethal Weapon_ (1987) with _Die Hard With A Vengeance_ (1995). So, what has Komo done to Nick and Judy's home? What's the status of Janet and their children? And what is Lisker's role going to be in all of this?

Also, lechwe and gemsbok are both types of antelope species.

As always, let me know what you guys think of the chapter and/or story so far, along with your guesses and answers to the above questions, in your reviews.


	10. The Return Of Lisker

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

 **Chapter 09: The Return of Lisker**

* * *

Date: Monday, July 16th, 2030

 **The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central**

Nick and Judy quickly exited the taxi as soon as it stopped outside their driveway. Nick put the money in the cabbie's paws before joining his wife in racing to the front door, holding the briefcase tightly to his chest. The taxi quickly drove away, its driver having been spooked when he'd learned that the briefcase was housing a disarmed bomb.

Stopping just shy of the front door, Nick and Judy both looked around at the front windows, seeing the drapes covering the inside. "I'll go check around the back," Nick said as he brought his taser out of his left holster. Judy nodded her head in agreement and brought out her tranquilizer gun as she slowly stepped forward and gently pressed herself against the door, peering into the bottom peep-hole to get a look inside the house.

Sucking in a breath, Judy gingerly took out her house key and inserted it into the keyhole, before slowly turning it, listening for any unusual sounds. Hearing nothing suspicious, Judy stopped and pulled out the key before wrapping her left paw around the door knob. Hesitantly, she turned the knob, discovering that the door was unlocked.

Slowly pushing the door open, Judy stepped inside and looked around the torn-up living room, before turning her eyes down at the floor in front of the steps. There was a white envelope laying on the second step. Carefully reaching forward, Judy picked up the envelope and held it in her paw, turning it over and holding it up above her head before turning on the living room light.

Judy soon heard the back door open and listened to the sounds of paw pads on the kitchen floor before her husband entered the living room. "Judy, I... what's that?" Nick asked her as he saw the envelope. Judy shifted her gaze over to the living room. "Judy... please, what's in the envelope?" Nick asked her, fear wavering in his voice.

"I don't know yet. I haven't opened it," Judy replied. "Have you seen any sign of Janet or the kids?" Nick asked her. "No. I haven't checked upstairs yet," Judy replied, shaking her head as she looked over at the destruction in the living room. There were cracks in the wall near the TV, which was laying face-down on the floor. A corner lamp had been knocked over, and pieces of glass covered the floor under it. The couch had been moved from its original spot, and it was lying on its back, with a large crack in the wall near the edge of the arm. Someone had lifted the thing up and thrown it.

The coffee table in the middle of the room had been flipped over, and some plastic cups and a jug of apple juice were lying on their sides on the floor, the carpet showing signs of being stained from the spilt juice. Also lying on the floor, catching Judy's attention, was a smashed cell phone. "Nick, look," Judy said as she carefully walked over to the smashed device on the floor. It had been broken in half, with pieces lying everywhere, and the battery having been ripped out and thrown onto the coffee table.

"Is that Janet's phone?" Nick asked Judy. "I think so," Judy replied nervously. Looking around the room, Judy and Nick both saw and soon smelled the blood stains on the carpet, as well as the kitchen floor. Following the stains, Judy and Nick saw them leading to the basement door in the kitchen. Nick looked over at the white hairs on the floor, along with orange and black ones, and carefully retrieved a pair of sterile gloves from his pocket before opening the door.

Using his natural night vision, the red fox carefully made his way down the stairs, before looking around at the untouched state of the large room. The basement freezer was untouched, and the small refrigerator was still turned on, as indicated by the light on the top of it. Over by the large circular table in the middle of the room, near the downstairs TV, Nick saw an unmoving form in the dark, which his night vision allowed him to make out as being a barely conscious Janet Clayworth, who was bound and gagged, while also sporting some nasty wounds around her maw and arms.

She had a black eye, and there were several lacerations on her arms, along with a few pieces of glass. "Janet!?" Nick gasped as he took in the sight of the bruised vixen. " _Nick! Did you say Janet's name? Is she down there!?_ " Judy called from the top of the stairs. "It's her, Judy! She's down here!" Nick shouted up to her. The lights were quickly flicked on as Judy came running down the steps and into the basement, joining Nick before rushing over to Janet's side.

"Janet! Janet, are you awake!?" Judy asked the arctic vixen. There was a faint whimper from Janet's muzzle, before Judy tore the tape off of it. "Janet, speak to us," Nick implored as he crouched down next to the two females. "Janet, are you okay? Where are the children? Where are Ben and Victoria?" Nick asked her.

Janet merely groaned in pain and flitted her eyes open, looking up at Nick and Judy with tears. "I... I'm sorry," Janet whimpered. "Janet, come on. What happened?" Judy asked her urgently. The vixen merely whimpered in response.

"Nick, call an ambulance and get Chief Bogo and someone else here to the house. Now!" Judy ordered. Nick nodded his head and ran upstairs so that his phone would have better reception. Meanwhile, Judy stayed down with Janet. Judy suddenly remembered that she still held the envelope in her paws. Pressing a dull claw to it, she soon realized that the envelope wasn't even sealed. Opening the flap, Judy retrieved the letter from within and held it in front of her eyes.

 **You never appreciate what you have until it's gone.**

 **You know what number to call.**

Judy swallowed a lump in her throat as she heard Nick's panicked voice up in the kitchen while he called emergency services and their fellow officers. Thinking quickly, she took out her newest carrot pen and started recording before taking out the track phone and calling Simon. "Simon? We're home," Judy said, holding back her anger and fear as best she could.

There was no response, even though the phone had clearly been picked up on the other end. "Simon?" Judy asked again in frustration. " _You have two very beautiful children, Mister and Missus Wilde,_ " Simon said. "What have you done with our children, Simon?" Judy asked through clenched teeth. " _I've kidnapped them. Isn't that obvious? I mean, you're a police officer, aren't you? Certainly, you should be able to recognize the situation for what it is,_ " Simon replied smarmily.

"Where are our children, Simon? Where are they?" Judy asked, trying to restrain her desire yell and shout. " _They're with me. Don't worry, they're still alive... for now. I don't know about their caretaker, however. From what I've heard, she had to be physically restrained after becoming violent,_ " Simon taunted.

"What do you want with our children? Why are you doing this to us?" Judy asked him. " _Oh, you'll find out tomorrow. For tonight... I'm just going to let you fret and sweat. I want you to let your imagination run wild as you think about all of the horrible things that could be happening to your children right now. Tomorrow, you'll get to see your children... if you follow my instructions. Disobey me... and you can let your imagination do the rest,_ " Simon replied.

"You bastard!" Judy spat. " _And then some. My dear Judith Wilde... wait, I haven't heard a peep from Nicholas. Where is he?_ " Simon asked her. "He's upstairs. Why?" Judy asked in response.

" _I thought both of you would want to be present after learning that I've abducted your children... unless he's still searching for them. But, don't worry. I can assure you that they are indeed in my possession,_ " Simon said. Judy heard foot steps coming down the stairs and turned her head to see Nick walked over to her with a first-aid kit. "The ambulance is on its way. Is that Simon on the phone?" he asked her.

Judy nodded her head. "Nick's here now," Judy said. " _Oh, good. Nicholas, my boy, I'm afraid that I have some bad news for you. Are you ready? Your children have been abducted by a vengeful maniac who wants to make you suffer,_ " Simon said before laughing. "You sick bastard! I'll rip your goddamn throat out!" Nick snapped.

" _Threaten me again, Nicholas, and one of your children will be missing a limb when you see them tomorrow,_ " Simon said in a cold warning tone. Nick felt as though he'd been punched in the gut. " _Do you get the picture now? I have all the cards, and if you want to see your children alive, then you will follow my instructions with no deviations. Is that clear?_ " Simon asked them.

"Yeah," Nick said reluctantly. "Yeah. It's _crystal clear_ ," he spat. " _Good. Now, I want the two of you to meet me at a secure location tomorrow, without any police presence. Any sign of police presence and your children die before you even get to look at them. Understand?_ " Simon asked forcefully. "Y-Yes. We... understand," Judy said shakily.

" _Good. I don't need to say 'Simon says' at this point anymore. I trust that I have your attention and cooperation at this point. Anyway, you must both come to the meeting spot alone. Understand? Only-wait, hold on,_ " Simon said as Nick and Judy heard a faint, muffled voice in the background. " _Uh-huh. Oh, that's ridiculous,_ " they heard Simon say to the other animal.

" _Anyway, as I was saying-cut that out! Fine. But I doubt it will make a difference,_ " Simon said in relent to the other animal. Nick and Judy both felt perplexed before hearing Simon's voice again. " _Anyway, I have... changed my mind. You may bring one companion, just one, with you to the meeting spot, if you so desire. However, there is a condition to be met. First, they are not allowed to be a police officer, or military officer or government employee in any position or field, and that includes federal, state, and/or city government, not even if they're off-duty... unless they're retired and/or crippled,_ " Simon said with a snigger.

" _So... I suppose you could bring a prison inmate with you. Ha! For bonus points, they can be someone that one or both of you have put behind bars!_ " Simon soon erupted into laughter on the other end of the phone. " _Oh, and for further fun, they have to be someone whose prison sentence won't be affected by helping you out! Good luck finding some who fits_ _ **that bill!**_ _Ah-ha! Ha-ha! Oh, you know, your were right! This_ _ **was**_ _a fun idea!_ " Simon said to someone in the background.

" _I told ya!_ " replied a faint voice in the background. Nick and Judy both frowned in anger. "Just tell us what you want us to do, Simon. What do we have to do to see our children alive?" Nick asked him. " _As I said to your wife, meet with me or my associates at a designated location tomorrow. I will call you later. Oh, Simon says you may now interact with your fellow police officers again, at least until I call and say otherwise. Bye-bye!_ " Simon said cheerfully before ending the call.

Judy and Nick looked down at the phone in Judy's paws. A tear drop soon fell onto the surface of the phone, followed by another. And another. And another. Judy's breath hitched as she began crying, falling onto her knees as she dropped the phone onto the floor, along with her carrot pen, prompting Nick to reach out and pull her into his embrace, hugging her tightly as she cried into his chest. He gently ran his paws down her ears in an attempt to soothe her.

"He [sob] has our _children!_ That b-bastard has our-our children!" Judy sobbed in anguish. Nick felt tears stinging as they fell from his eyes as well, whining in conjunction with his wife's sobbing as they both held onto each other. "We'll get them back. D-Don't worry. We-We'll get them back," Nick said shakily after a few minutes, pulling his head up to look over at Janet's prone form on the floor. As far as he could tell, she was still breathing.

He then saw her open her eyes slightly, and she wheezed. "I... I'm sorry," she apologized again with a whimper. "I... I tried to-to stop them," Janet said, sniffling and coughing. "I... I really did. I just... I wasn't strong enough," she whined, blaming herself for the abduction of the Wildes' children. "No. No, Janet. This-This wasn't your... this was _not_ your fault," Nick said to the younger vixen as he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

"None of us could have known. None of us... could have known that this would happen. You-You did what you could, right?" Nick asked her as he reached over for Judy's carrot pen. "I... almost clawed the tiger's eye out," Janet said. "T-Tiger? You remember their species?" Nick asked her. "They had masks, but... I tore the one off the tiger. Clawed him up real bad," Janet said with a chuckle before whimpering in pain.

"Check... my claws... f-for blood... samples," Janet said hoarsely. "We'll... do that," Nick said as he kept his eyes on the vixen's rising and falling chest, making sure that she was still breathing. Janet Clayworth may not have been involved in as many harrowing adventures and life or death situations with him and Judy as certain other officers, but she was still their friend and, when Clawhauser was unavailable, confidant.

 **Shortly Afterward...**

Nick and Judy watched as the paramedics carried Janet out of the house on a stretcher before loading her into the back of the ambulance. They observed as one of the EMTs placed a breathing mask on the vixen's mouth. "She's still breathing! Let's move!" the head EMT shouted. Nick and Judy were drawn from the scene by a throat being cleared.

The couple turned around and saw Chief Martin Bogo standing behind them, looking at them with a hint of concern in his eyes. Behind Bogo, Lieutenant Eric Burns was carefully carrying the briefcase bomb over to the forensics unit vehicle. "Wilde. Wilde. What happened?" Bogo asked them. Judy took in a breath before letting it out shakily. "Simon... abducted our children," she said.

Bogo slowly nodded his head, his gaze softening. "This whole thing was a ruse to keep us away form home," Nick said. "How do you figure?" Bogo asked him. "Why else would he have _us_ go on that bomb hunt? We're not allowed to receive help or make contact with any other officers, and we're kept on our toes so that we don't think about anything else," Nick elaborated.

"Why was Officer Clayworth at your home?" Bogo asked them. "She was babysitting for us. today was her day off, and she volunteered to watch the children today," Judy replied. "I see," Bogo said softly. "Chief, that monster has our children! What are we going to do?" Judy asked him.

"Has he made any demands in exchange for their return?" Bogo asked them. "I... he said that we have to do exactly as he says or we'll never see them alive again," Nick said. "What does he want you to do?" Bogo asked them. Judy took out her carrot pen. "Not out here," Nick said as he carefully eyed the rooftops and parked vehicles of the neighborhood.

"Let's go inside then," Bogo said with a nod. The couple quickly followed him into the house, where the crime scene unit was collecting evidence. "Alright, what has Simon asked of you?" Bogo asked again. "He wants us to meet him or his associates tomorrow at a location of his choosing," Nick said. "Are you to go alone?" Bogo asked them.

"Yes. Although... He did say that we could bring a friend, as long was they weren't a police officer, or someone in the military or the government," Nick said. "He even suggested taking an inmate out of prison to come along, as long as it was someone we helped put away," Nick added sourly. "A few animals could be willing to overlook your role in their incarceration if they were given a chance to reduce their sentence," Bogo said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, except that he said it has to be someone whose sentence won't be affected by helping us out. So, we're pretty much fucked," Nick said in defeat. "He didn't say that you _had_ to bring such an animal along, did he?" Bogo asked. "No. He said that we're _allowed_ , as long as those conditions are met. This guy is a fucking sadist. Who the hell is this Simon?" Nick asked.

"I don't know," Bogo said. "Simon isn't his real name either. It's just an alias. We don't know who he is or where he's from," Bogo continued. "He has to be someone we've met before. Someone who we've put away in the past. Why else would he target us like this?" Nick asked.

"I've had Clawhauser work with Glover on making a list of all felons who have been released from prison recently, specifically ones who you have both put away," Bogo said. "And?" Nick asked him. "It's still being worked on. There is an armadillo named Simon, but he's still _in_ prison," Bogo said.

"Judy? You've been quiet for a bit. Is there something on your mind?" Bogo asked as he noticed the pensive look on Judy's face. "Huh?" she asked as she was snapped out of her thoughts. "Is there something you've been giving thought to, or would like to tell us? Maybe something in here that you've noticed? Something that Officer Clayworth said to you, perhaps? A clue to who this Simon fellow might be?" Bogo asked her.

"No, not that," Judy said. "I've just... I think there _is_ one animal who fits the conditions that Simon gave us," Judy said. "What are you talking about? Judy, Simon was saying that just to mess with us," Nick said. "Nick, he did say that we're allowed, _and_ he said 'Simon says' while saying it. We can use that," Judy said.

"Okay, so who is this animal?" Nick asked her. "Well... you're not gonna like hearing this, but... Milton Lisker," Judy said. Nick's expression quickly changed to one of shock, before morphing into disbelief and even anger. "N-No! No way! We are not letting that fucker anywhere _near_ our children!" Nick growled.

"Nick, Lisker could help us," Judy said. "Bullshit! Judy, how do we know that this whole thing wasn't just some ploy to get Lisker out of prison!? Huh!? I mean, what are the odds that _Lisker_ of all animals happens to perfectly fit the conditions set by Simon? Think about it," Nick retorted angrily.

"Wilde," Bogo said firmly. "N-No! Not-not after what the bastard did! Have you forgotten about what he did to Furrero and Hooper!?" Nick spat in response. "Technically, _Pelton_ murdered Hooper," Bogo said. "So? Lisker ordered him to do it. He's still responsible. And let's not forget that he ordered Blackwell to beat Cynthia into a coma, _and_ he framed _me_ for both incidents! Chief, do have any idea how it feels to see your fellow officers, animals you've put your life in the paws of, turn around and try to _kill you_ without asking any questions first?" Nick asked the buffalo.

Bogo remained silent. "Yes," Bogo said quietly. "No, of course you-wait, what?" Nick asked him. "I said 'yes', Wilde. This was a long time ago, and it even involved John Bosworth and his family. Before Milton came along, back before I was a chief or even a lieutenant, a group of of my fellow officers had become corrupt with power. John Bosworth's sister was one of their victims after she witnessed them engaging in their activities one night," Bogo said.

"John tried to tell me about it, but... I didn't want to believe him. The only animal willing to take him seriously was... Conan Milius. Milius soon became a target, and then he dragged me into the conflict after showing me the proof of their corruption. Drug deals, taking money, coercing witnesses and bribery. But those animals? They were my _friends_ , Wilde. They'd been my friends since I'd met them in the academy. I _knew them_ , and discovering their corruption... it hurt, Nick," Bogo said solemnly.

"When they realized that I couldn't be swayed to join their side... they tried to keep me silent. That means they tried to kill me. So, yes, I know how it feels," Bogo said. "No. Because those guys had a logical _reason_. They were bad guys and you were a good guy. When Donner and the others tried to kill me, they had no evidence that I'd done what I was framed for. Nothing solid. They _wanted_ to get rid of me, because I'm a fox. Because of who I am," Nick spat in response.

"They didn't even want to wait for a proper investigation. They just wanted me _dead_. End of story," Nick said. "And do you know who brought out at ugliness? Do you know who showed me how things hadn't changed, even after Bellwether? It was Lisker. I thought that I could change things in the world. I thought I could make some progress for others. Lisker showed me that I was living a lie. He showed me that the nice attitude and friendliness my coworkers displayed was just an act to mask their true feelings," Nick said, tears rolling down his eyes.

"He _hurt me_ , and he did it without laying a single paw on me as well," Nick said. "He hurt Cynthia, and he killed Maes. I can't forgive him for what he's done, Chief. I can't. And I _refuse_ to let that monster _anywhere_ near my children," Nick said, taking several deep breaths to calm himself. "Nick," Judy said with teary eyes. "Please. He's our best chance. We've seen what this Simon is capable of," Judy said.

"She's right, Nick. Simon has _mercenaries_ at his disposal. And you know what kind of mercenaries I'm referring to," Bogo said, catching both Nick and Judy off guard. "He... he what?" Nick asked in disbelief. "Bosworth told me at the viewing for his daughter, about the mercenaries," Bogo said.

"What did he say?" Judy asked him. "After their old boss was sent to prison, their new boss was killed here in Zootopia. I'm guessing their replacement was Arjun Rooter," Bogo said. Nick and Judy both nodded. "Anyway, Bosworth said that after the replacement boss was killed, some mobsters from India, led mostly by tigers, came down and took over. They've been working for them since then," Bogo relayed.

"How did Bosworth learn this?" Judy asked him. "He said that the mercenaries told him about it, apparently to intimidate him," Bogo replied. "Can we talk to Bosworth later, to find out-" "Judy, John died this morning when that bomb went off. Forensics have determined that the source of the blast was in Bosworth's office," Bogo said. "Plus... Simon already confirmed that he was the one who detonated the bomb anyway," Bogo added.

"So... if only the two of us go alone... there's no way we'll survive to see our children again," Judy said. "Nick, we _need_ Lisker's help," Judy pleaded to her husband. "Judy, no. No, please! I-I can't let him get anywhere near our children! And did you forget about what I said earlier? Remember, Judy, Lisker fits Simon's conditions perfectly! This whole thing could be an elaborate ruse to get him outside so that he can disappear!" Nick replied.

"You don't know that. Besides, Lisker's burned all of his bridges outside of prison. No criminal would ever want to see him back on the streets, and no cops would ever want to work with him. Plus, he's sentenced to life without parole," Bogo said. "Which is why this is the perfect opportunity for him! He can come with us, and then get 'lost' in the crossfire or get taken away, only to disappear when everyone thinks that he's dead," Nick said.

"Nick, you'd make a hell of a screenwriter, but please return to planet Earth!" Judy said. "But, Judy, I-" "No! Look, Nick, if-if you value your _hatred_ for Lisker m-more than your _l-love_ for your f-family... th-then you can w-walk away and n-never speak to me a-again," Judy said shakily, with tears streaming down her face.

"Which is more important? Our children, or your hatred for Lisker?" Judy asked him at point blank. Nick looked into his wife's eyes, the eyes of his best friend, companion, confidant, lover, and the best thing to ever happen in his life. He looked into those eyes and saw a horrific pain and sorrow that threatened to literally rip her heart to shreds. He never wanted to see that pain in her eyes again.

"Okay," Nick said after taking a breath. "W-We'll go see Lisker," he said shakily. "Chief, is there any way that we can get a ride to that prison? And one that isn't an official police vehicle? Simon could still have someone watching us out there," Nick said. "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, I want the both of you to return to the station, file a brief report on what's happened so far, and then clock out. You'll have the rest of today and tomorrow off," Bogo said.

"Th-Thank you," Judy said. "Both of you, get-what are those stains on your uniform?" Bogo asked as he took a closer look at Judy's uniform. "Oh, those are stains from the liquid from that bomb," Judy said. Bogo stared at her with a wide-eyed expression, before one of his eyes twitched. "You two have _really_ been under too much stress to think properly, haven't you?" Bogo asked them.

* * *

 **Zootopia Maximum Security Prison # 01, the Meadowlands...**

Milton Lisker looked across from the checker board as Dawn Bellwether planned her next move. "It's been two minutes, Dawn. Are you going to move yet or not?" Lisker asked her in a tired manner. Dawn frowned at him before grabbing a piece and moving it across the board.

"Finally," Lisker muttered before moving his own piece forward. The pair were soon interrupted as Warden Jasmine Swinton, a Domesticus Pig, entered the recreation lounge. "Ahem, Prisoner Milton Lisker?" Swinton asked. "Present and accounted for," Lisker said, raising a paw into the air.

"You have visitors," Swinton said as she leaned against the doorway. Lisker raised an eyebrow as he looked over at the pig. "I have... visitors? Are you sure?" Lisker asked her suspiciously. "I'm positive. They say they've known you in the past. I recognize them myself, sonny," Swinton said with a smirk. "You're being serious? This isn't something you're doing just to amuse yourself, is it?" Lisker asked her.

"Lisker, I'm serious. Besides, they also have some paperwork that I need to sign, but you need to go speak with them. Chief Bogo sent them here," Swinton said. Lisker raised his other eyebrow in surprise. "Well... that certainly is surprising," he said quietly. He then looked over at Bellwether. "Your win," Lisker said to the ewe.

The alpha wolf stood up and slowly walked away from the table, leaving Dawn alone to put the board game away. Lisker stood over Swinton, but he still respected her authority. "Who did Bogo send?" Lisker asked her. Swinton looked up at him and smirked in response.

 **In The Visitor Area...**

Nick and Judy both sat in a single chair as they waited for the sound of paw pads and hooves on the floor behind the reinforced fiberglass windows and cubicles. Soon, such sounds reached their ears, and an orange-jumpsuit wearing gray wolf walked over to the cubicle in front of them before sitting down in his own chair, his eyes closed. Lisker soon opened his eyes, only for them to widen as he realized who he was looking at.

Sitting across from him, wearing jeans and T-shirts, were Nicholas and Judith Wilde. "Judy Hop-I mean, Wilde. And Nicholas Wilde," Lisker said after a minute of silence. "You guys look older," Lisker said as he noticed the more defined features of Judy and Nick's faces. "You look good," Lisker said. "I take it you're both detectives now? Plain clothes?" Lisker asked them carefully, putting his paws together.

Nick grabbed the phone on the side of the cubicle and held it up to his muzzle, prompting Lisker to do the same. "So... I heard that you two got married a while back. Conratulations. I also heard that you guys are parents now. Congratulations again. I... I'm being sincere," Lisker said. Nick and Judy were both silent, as Nick was trying to work up the nerve to speak.

"I... heard about Milius. I also heard that you guys nailed the bastards who killed him. I... I've been keeping up with outside events," Lisker said. He looked at the melancholy expressions on Nick and Judy's faces. "Okay... this isn't a social call, is it? What exactly is going on?" Lisker asked them curiously.

Nick finally spoke. "Someone... abducted our children today," Nick said. "You want me to... help you find them?" Lisker asked them. "Not quite. Judy... play him the recording," Nick said. Judy brought out her carrot pen and replayed the conversation between herself, Nick, and Simon. When the playback was over, Judy returned the pen to her pants pocket. Lisker looked at them both skeptically. "This... this is some kind of joke, right?" Lisker asked them.

"Lisker," Judy said, "I know that it may not seem right, but we need your help. This bastard kidnapped our children and beat Officer Clayworth within an inch of her life." "Who's Officer Clayworth?" Lisker asked her. "She's an arctic fox in Precinct Three," Judy replied. "Oh, so you guys _are_ getting more progressive," Lisker said.

"Lisker, listen! Our children's lives are at stake!" Nick spat. Lisker looked at the fox, and he saw the hatred in his glare. "And... I'm the only one who can help? This doesn't add up," Lisker said.

"We already played the recording for you. What more do you want?" Nick asked him. "Well, it just seems odd that this guy's _conditions_ would narrow down your selection to pretty much me, since I'm the only guy with the moral fiber willing to do this without expecting freedom or a reduced sentence in return," Lisker said. "Moral fiber? Define 'moral' you hypocrite," Nick spat at him.

"Okay. Poor choice of words. Still... I'll do it. I'll do it," Lisker said, remembering a young vixen who he'd failed to save decades earlier. "I'll do it. But... I have some conditions of my own," Lisker said. "Your sentence isn't-" "I don't care about my sentence. I don't," Lisker interrupted.

"But... if you want me to help you... I need to know everything that you know. I need information on this Simon guy, and all of his associates. I can't be kept in the dark. Being misinformed will lead to mistakes. Mistakes that could get ourselves _and_ your children killed," Lisker said. "Okay," Judy said in agreement.

"Alright. When do you need me out of here?" Lisker asked. "Well, since you've agreed, Warden Swinton will have your papers processed within the hour. We have a lot to debrief you on," Judy said. Lisker nodded his head. "Do I get to wear something comfortable?" Lisker asked them.

"We'll see," Nick said tersely. "Yeah. Figures," Lisker said. "Lisker... why are you so eager to help us out?" Nick asked him. "I'm not helping just you, Nick. I'm helping your children," Lisker said. Judy looked at Lisker and heard the tone of his voice. The gears in her head turned before her memory kicked in.

"Thank you," Judy said. "Don't thank me until your children are safe. I haven't earned it until that happens," Lisker said. "No, I mean thank you for agreeing to help us," Judy explained.

"You're... welcome," Lisker said awkwardly. "So... do I just sit here for an hour and shoot the shit with you guys or... oh," Lisker said as he saw a certain female walking into the visitor area behind Nick and Judy. "Yeah... there's someone else who hasn't really had a chance to talk to you for a while," Nick said with a smirk.

Nick then handed the phone to the female coywolf standing behind him. "Hello, Milton," Cynthia Furrero said. "Hello... Cynthia," Lisker said, very awkwardly. "I... I'm sorry," Lisker said shamefully. "I should never have... I have no excuses for what I did," Lisker said. "I can tell you my thought process. I'm _not_ defending myself, just explaining my, at the time, twisted logic," Lisker said.

"Okay, shoot," Cynthia said. "I saw what I was doing as justice. When you refused to join us and decided to oppose us, I... viewed that as an obstruction of justice. So... I had you incapacitated. That... was my reasoning. I... fucked up. I really fucked up," Lisker said with shame in his voice.

"You don't have to forgive me. I don't deserve it," Lisker added. "I wasn't going to," Cynthia said. "I mean, I want it, but, you know... I don't deserve to be... you get the idea," Lisker said in a ramble. "I thought watching you squirm would be fun," Cynthia said with a sigh. "Uh... so, what's your part in this... child abduction and rescue situation?" Lisker asked the coywolf.

"Well, this Simon character has made it pretty clear that any sign of official police presence near the meeting area will result in the death of both children, so... I have no part. This guy has already blown up a bank and killed dozens of innocent animals. We're not taking any risks, and he had multiple bombs planted throughout the city. None of them were duds," Cynthia explained.

"When we arrive back at the station, you'll be given more information, although... one of the kidnappers who fought officer Clayworth was a tiger, according to Clayworth's testimony," Cynthia said. "Simon is just an alias, right?" Lisker asked. "Yes," Cynthia replied, before handing the phone back to Nick.

"So, this guy planted bombs all over the city and blew up a bank. And he's after you specifically? You know that he's going to kill your children, right? Whether you cooperate or not. If you want them back, then you have to take them back," Lisker said firmly. "So, one more thing I need in order to help you: I'm going to need a gun."

* * *

 **A Bunker Somewhere In The Rainforest District...**

Sitting in the corner of a large room, Victoria and Benjamin Wilde looked around at the drab and gray interior of their cell. Victoria slowly crawled around the room, looking for any way out that she could find, checking behind the old worn mattress and looking up at the grill of an air vent, scowling at how far away it was. There was a small storm drain in the center of the room, as the room itself was made of blue tiles, although it had clearly seen better days. Benjamin sniffled as he heard the door creaking open, and he and Victoria watched nervously as one of their captors, the tiger, stepped into the room.

Sherakh had a cold smile on his face as he stepped forward. Behind him, Komo walked into the room, followed by Phoenix. Spying Victoria crouching down near a far-too-small vent grill, Sherakh smirked. "Trying to escape already?" Sherakh asked with a chuckle. "But we've only just gotten to know each other," he quipped.

"Y-You hurt Miss Janet!" Ben cried as he pointed a finger at the tiger. "Oh, did I? Hm, oops," Sherakh quipped with a smirk. "Sherakh, step aside," Komo said as he walked forward. Victoria ran over to her brother's side before standing in front of him defensively. "How brave," Komo said. "M-Mr. Dom?" Victoria asked in confusion as she got a good look at Komo.

"Dom? Who's Dom?" Komo asked her. "He... he's a lizard who owns a restaurant in the Rainforest District. We go there all the time on our birthdays," Victoria replied. "He looks just like you, and he's almost as big... as-as... you," Victoria added slowly as Komo stepped closer, towering over the small hybrid. "Is that so? Interesting. Still, that's not my concern at the moment," Komo said as he pulled out a track phone.

"Anyway, my name is not Dom. My name... is Mister Domo. Mister... Komo Domo, and I'm afraid that, unfortunately, we have a problem," Komo said with a frown. "What did we do? Why did you hurt Miss Janet? What did we do wrong!?" Victoria asked him fearfully.

"Oh, no. It's nothing _you_ did. It's your parents," Komo said. "Huh?" Ben asked, confused. "See, you two are... unfortunate victims of circumstance. Your parents, long before you were born, hurt me. They helped send me to prison, and while I was in prison for some... not-so-nice things I did, they also killed many of my friends and associates, including my best friend and blood-brother, Arjun Rooter. And when he died, my empire fell, and this... orange-furred dick-wad and his boss took over, killing more of my people," Komo said, earning a snicker from Phoenix and a glare from Sherakh.

"If he hurt your friends, why are you working with him?" Victoria asked. "Because he is useful," Komo replied. "W-What's gonna happen to us?" Ben asked fearfully. "Well... I haven't quiet figured that out yet," Komo answered thoughtfully. "However, I _am_ going to kill your parents," Komo said with a smirk.

"No! No!" Ben and Victoria cried. "Oh, _yes_ ," Komo responded, smiling. "Hm, now let's see... if we were in Reptaelia, I suppose that the less-bigoted locals might be willing to take you in, but seeing how the locals of _this_ particular megalopolis treat others... you'll probably get thrown from foster home to foster home, orphanage to orphanage, or maybe left to fend for yourselves on the streets, only to be beaten and abused by some prejudiced bigot for not fitting in with their belief system or proving that their beliefs are wrong by virtue of your mere existence. Hmm... maybe you'd be better off dying alongside your parents," Komo said.

"No! We don't wanna die! We don't want our parents to die! Please, just let us go! Just leave our parents alone! Please, please!" Ben and Vicky shouted and pleaded. "No. I've waited almost ten years for this. I'm getting my revenge. I have nothing else, and, honestly... when a dragon is wronged, this is how we react. With brutality," Komo said.

"I don't know. I've seen Komod Dragons-uh, never mind," Phoenix said as Komo glared at him. "So... I've decided. I'll be merciful and let you die with your parents tomorrow," Komo said with a smile. "Oh, Sherakh? Make sure that they both use the bathroom at regular intervals. I'd rather not have a mess to clean up later," Komo said. "Of course," Sherakh said with a nod. "Come on, John. We have a busy day tomorrow. We need to get everything ready," Komo said as his two subordinates followed him out of the room.

"Hey, Komo? What was the point of this visit to the room?" Phoenix asked the lizard before the door was closed. Sitting on the floor in front of the mattress, Ben began to whimper, sniffling as his tears fell onto the floor. Victoria soon felt the dam burst as well, and she fell to the floor and pulled herself into a fetal position as she and her brother both cried out for the parents.

* * *

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One...**

Inside the firing range, Lisker put both a pair of ear plugs inside his ears and a pair of muffs over top, along with a set of goggles over his eyes, before grabbing his old Smythe & Weasel Model Z-29 .357 cal revolver. He set the target out to a distance of twelve yards before stopping it and aiming. He fired once, then two more times, then three times in a row, before hitting the return switch and bringing the target sheet back.

Lisker was wearing a blue muscle shirt and a pair of jeans. It was the closest he would ever get to wearing a blue uniform again. Nick, Judy, Cynthia, and Gibson were all standing behind him with ear protection and goggles. "Only one round hit the inner circle," he said to himself in disappointment. "I need more practice," he muttered before retrieving another target sheet.

He emptied his shells into a bucket and reloaded his revolver before sending the target sheet out again at the same distance. He repeated this process five more times before he was satisfied with his aiming. "I've got it again," Lisker said with a smile as he looked at the final target sheet, with all six shots in the center circle.

"Good job," Lieutenant Gibson said with a smirk. He was the only member of the group who hadn't been wronged by Lisker in the past, and so he was the only person in the room who could be truly objective when interacting with the wolf. "Thanks," Lisker said. "I don't know if I caught your name," Lisker said to the much larger lion. "Gibson. Roger Gibson," Gibson said, posing like a certain famous movie spy.

"Yeah. Not Savage? Jack Savage?" Lisker asked him. "I've got most of the movies," Gibson said cordially. "Who's the newest actor in the role?" Lisker asked him. "Uh... I'm not sure," Gibson said. "I only watched two of the ones with Bugs Warner," Lisker said as he leaned against the cubicle walls. "You'd almost forget he was a comedian when watching those movies," Gibson said with a chuckle.

"So... when this is over, I'd like to pay my respects to Milius before I go back to wearing orange," Lisker said, switching from jovial to serious. "You knew him?" Gibson asked. "Yeah, sort of. He killed three of my subordinates," Lisker said. "Of course... I'm sure you've read the report," Lisker said to the lion.

"I have. Cynthia is my partner now," Gibson said. "Well, I'm... I'm glad that she survived that... beating," Lisker said uncomfortably, still ashamed of his actions. "Well... that's... in the past, I guess," Gibson said awkwardly. "Uh, yeah," Lisker agreed, also awkwardly. "I wish... I wish that I could've learned how to put the past behind me decades ago when I needed to. Maybe... maybe things would have turned out differently for everyone," Lisker said.

"Although... I still probably would have sought out and had the Fasa Brothers killed," Lisker said. "I have no regrets over those two assholes. They deserved what happened to them. End of story," Lisker said. "I'll... have to look them up some time to figure out what you mean," Gibson said.

"Oh, they both drugged and raped a young female spotted hyena in full view of several witnesses, and yet they still got away in court," Lisker said distastefully. "Oh," Gibson said. "Yeah. They, uh... definitely got what was coming to them," Lisker said, with not a hint of remorse.

"So, you know, things have changed since that six-shooter of yours went into production," Gibson said, changing the topic. "I know," Lisker replied. "Yeah, but if you run out of bullets and have to use a different gun... maybe you should practice with something else as well," Gibson suggested.

Lisker looked at the lion. "Hm... that may not be a bad idea," Lisker said. "Alright, what've you got?" Gibson grinned and took out his Bearretta 92FS/L. "My, that's a big one," Lisker said, impressed. "Do you think you can handle something of this caliber?" Gibson asked the wolf.

"Get me _that_ on a smaller scale, and I'll try it out," Lisker said in response. "Hey, Furrero! Can you go to the armory and requisition one Bearretta Ninety-Two F-S, medium-scale?" Gibson called out. Cynthia glanced over at Lisker before sighing and nodding her head. She quickly marched off, leaving the other four alone. "Thank you!" Gibson called out.

"Oh, Lisker?" Gibson started. "Yeah?" the wolf asked. "Just because I'm being friendly to you doesn't mean that we're chums. You try anything with those three... and there won't be a body to take to the morgue," Gibson warned. Lisker looked at the lion's face before nodding his head. "Yup," he said in agreement. "I mean it," Gibson said darkly. "I know," Lisker said, staring Gibson in the eyes.

"Good. I'm glad we've reached an understanding," Gibson said with a smile. "So, how old is this particular model here? It looks a lot like Milius's old piece," Gibson asked. "This one? Well... lt's see," Lisker said as he and Gibson waited for Cynthia to return. Meanwhile, Nick and Judy merely watched the two males converse with both a sense of distrust and worry.

"I... Judy, I know that we need him, but I still don't fully trust him," Nick whispered to her. Judy grabbed Nick's left paw and squeezed it in her own. "I know, Honey. But Lisker is our best chance at getting out of this with the children alive," Judy whispered back. "I don't like it," Nick whispered. "I know," Judy whispered back.

"But, it'll be okay. I know that you don't trust him, but I... I do. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I wouldn't trust him to watch our children, but I _would_ trust him to save them if we need him to," Judy whispered. "How? How can you trust him like that?" Nick asked her quietly. "That's... That's just who I am," Judy replied.

"Well... if you can trust him that much, then maybe I can trust him enough to let him out of my sight," Nick whispered reluctantly. "Not for too long, of course," he added. "Thank you for trying," Judy whispered before giving Nick's paw another gentle squeeze. Both mammals soon went home, while Lisker remained at the station overnight. As much as Nick hated to do it, he was going to give Lisker the benefit of the doubt. As much as Lisker had hurt him, Judy had healed him even more, and for her, he would trust Lisker to help them save their children.

* * *

Author's Notes: And that was the ninth chapter of the story. Anyway, the next chapter focuses on Lisker and the Wildes meeting with "Simon" and his subordinates, which means, you guessed it, they all get to meet Komo Domo in person for the first time. Also, Komo isn't done making the police jump through hoops just yet, in case you're thinking that the chapter will feature the police laying a trap for the mercenaries. He's got one more nasty little surprise in store.

As always, please let me know what you think of the chapter and/or story so far in your reviews. I'd also really like to know what you guys all think of Komo so far, and how you think he compares to the other villains I've featured prominently in the other stories. I've made Komo important to the plots of previous entries, but I've rarely made his impact on the other characters this direct. Id' really like to know what you guys think of this.

Oh, and here's a little bonus segment featuring Ben and Vicky, inspired by the one non-Disney animated movie that managed to _beat_ a Disney-animated movie at the box office in the same year they were released.

Also, Disclaimer: An American Tail is Property of Amblin Entertainment and Universal.

* * *

 **A Bunker Somewhere In The Rainforest District**

Victoria Wilde looked around at the barren room holding herself and her brother. They both had stopped crying after a while, and the clock on the wall showed that it was past nightfall. Victoria got up and slowly looked around the room for more possible exits, until she finally came to the conclusion that there truly was no way out. Feeling more anguish building up inside of her, Victoria looked over at her morose brother, and tried to assure him that everything would be all right.

"Remember that song? The one from that movie?" Victoria asked Ben. Ben nodded his head. "Which movie?" he asked her. "The one with that mouse and his family? A Zootopian Tail?" Victoria asked him. "Y-Yeah. Which song?" Ben asked her. " _Some...where, out there. Beneath_ -come on, Ben. Sing with me," Victoria implored, trying to raise their spirits.

" _S-Somewhere out-out there, be-beneath the p-pale moonlight. Someone's thinking of m-me, and loving me to-tonight,_ " Ben began to sing. " _Somewhere out there, someone's saying a prayer, that we'll f-find one another in that big somewhere out there_ ," Victoria sang as well.

 **Meanwhile, at the Wilde Residence**

Judy and Nick looked up at the moon. " _And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be w-wishing on the same bright star!_ " she sang, causing Nick to raise an eyebrow at his wife's perplexing behavior. He then shrugged his shoulders and joined her in singing the song.

 **Back With The Children**

" _And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby! It helps to think we might be sleeping underneath the same big skyyyyyy!_ " Victoria sang loudly. She missed the foot steps in the hallway getting closer.

" _Oh, somewhere, out there! If love can see us through! Then we'll find one an_ -" THWACK! The door to the room was unlocked and slammed open. "Hey! No singin'!" Phoenix shouted at the children, startling them.

"You're supposed to be whimperin' in fear! Now, get with the whimperin'!" he snarled. Ben and Vicky both started whimpering and cowering in fear of the angry dingo. "That's better," he said with calm approval before closing the door and locking it behind him.

"Lousy brats. Tryin' to get their hopes up with songs and shit," Phoenix muttered under his breath as he walked away. Meanwhile, back in the room, Ben and Vicky were shaking in fear, holding each other for support. "What an _asshole_ ," Ben muttered under his breath, prompting Victoria to nod her head in agreement. "Damn straight."


	11. Meeting The Abductors

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

As usual, I wrote this chapter while listening to the soundtracks of the action movies that had the most influence on the story, such as _Lethal Weapon_ (1987), _Die Hard_ (1988), and _Die Hard With A Vengeance_ (1995), all of which were composed and conducted by the late Michael Kamen.

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Meeting The Abductors**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, July 17th, 2030

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One**

Milton Lisker poured himself his second cup of coffee in the break room, before adding creamer and sugar, stirring the mixture. "Hazelnut. Wasn't this... your favorite, Maes. I'm sorry," Milton whispered quietly as he stared at the drink in his paws. He looked over at the doorway and saw Clawhauser watching him.

"Hey... you've, uh, lost some weight, I see," Lisker noted. "Mm-hm. So... ready to go to Bogo's office and wait for the others?" Clawhauser asked him. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready," Lisker said softly before taking a sip of his coffee. "Uh... that's a mean hook you've got," Lisker said as he passed the cheetah.

"Huh?" Clawhauser asked him. "You know. When you... in the Rainforest District?" Lisker asked him. Clawhauser furrowed his brows in confusion, before understanding flashed across his face. "Oh! Oh, um... th-thank you," he said awkwardly. "You're welcome. And... I'm sorry for calling you a fat bastard that day," Lisker said apologetically.

"Oh. Um, to be honest... I'd actually forgotten about that," Clawhauser admitted. "Well, I'm still sorry," Lisker said before taking another sip of his coffee and walking through the hallway. Clawhauser quickly followed him to Bogo's office, where Nick and Judy had yet to arrive.

"Milton," Bogo said after Lisker entered the office and sat down on a chair, nursing his coffee as he nodded to the cape buffalo. "Chief," Lisker said. "How do you feel?" Bogo asked him. Lisker sucked in a breath before letting it go. "Well... okay, I guess. I'm going to enjoy wearing these clothes while I can, because it'll be back to an orange jumpsuit once the Wildes get their children back," Lisker said.

"You have no ulterior motives?" Bogo asked him. "None. Look, I-I'm... I know that nothing I say or do will make what I did okay. Hooper's still dead, and so are those other foxes that Blackwell slaughtered. I can't change that," Lisker said solemnly. "But?" Bogo asked him. "I... I am sorry for what happened. I wish I could say it to Nick and Judy, and even Cynthia, but... I know that none of them will want to hear it from me. Hell, I'm friends with Dawn Bellwether in prison," Lisker said.

"Well, _that_... is unexpected," Bogo said. "Yeah. That's the way the tumbleweed rolls," Lisker said with a shrug. "I don't deserve to wear a uniform. This blue shirt and these jeans... are the closest I'll ever get to that for the rest of my life," Lisker said regretfully. "So... um, I didn't hear back from Gibson or Furrero, but after this is over... would it be out of the question for me to pay my respects to Milius at his grave before going back to prison?" Lisker asked.

"We'll see what happens," Bogo said. Lisker nodded his head. "Right. Um, Chief, I do have one request for you, though," Lisker said. "I'm not making any promises," Bogo said firmly. "It's not for my sake. Today... if I do manage to get the Wildes' children back alive; if Nick and Judy themselves don't make it... please make sure that their children have a good future. You and I both know how this city treats hybrids that aren't from closely related species," Lisker said.

Bogo looked the wolf in the eyes. "I know," Bogo said softly. "Please, Chief, make sure that those kits are adopted by someone who can give them a god future if I can't keep Nick and Judy alive. Please, do whatever is within your power," Lisker pleaded quietly. "I... I can't rescue them knowing that they'll end up being abandoned or abused by society if something happens to their parents," Lisker pleaded earnestly.

Bogo looked the wolf in the eyes and saw the honest emotions the wolf was displaying. "Alright. I'll do whatever I can if something happens to Nick and Judy. But that means you'd better do everything in _your power_ to keep them alive, is that understood?" Bogo said. "Yes. Absolutely," Lisker said, nodding his head.

There was soon a knock on the door. "Come on in," Bogo said loudly. The door opened and Nick and Judy entered the room. Neither of them looked as though they had gotten a good rest, or much sleep at all, for that matter.

"Okay, do we call Simon ourselves, or do we wait for him to call us?" Nick asked. "We'll wait for a few minutes. Did he say just what time he would call you?" Bogo asked them. "No. He didn't give us anything specific," Nick replied. "Well, before this gets underway," Lisker said as he stood up and placed his coffee on Bogo's desk, "I need Nick to do something."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nick asked him. "Hit me," Lisker said bluntly. Nick's jaw dropped. "W-What?" Nick asked him in shock. "Come on. Get it out of your system. Hit me," Lisker said as he stepped closer to the smaller canid. Y-You want me to... hit you?" Nick asked him. "Yes, are you deaf? Come on, Slick. Hit me. Anywhere you want. Do it," Lisker said.

Nick grinned before pulling back his arm and balling his right paw into a fist. He angled himself and then let it fly forward before hitting Lisker in the crotch. Lisker's eyes widened as he doubled over and gasped for breath. " _Fuck!_ I didn't think you'd gotten that strong," the wolf rasped painfully.

"Well, I certainly hope that you've been keeping your body in shape while in prison, because we're dealing with mercenaries, and what I just did to you is a walk in the park compared to what _they_ can do," Nick said. "Yeah, you mentioned that yesterday. I-I'll still keep that in mind, though," Lisker coughed before slowly standing up and walking back over to his chair.

The phone on Bogo's desk soon rang, prompting the buffalo to pick it up. "Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One. This is Chief Bogo speaking," Bogo said. " _Yes, thank you. Now, I trust that Wilde and Wilde are in your office right now? Or are they still at home waiting for me to call them back?_ " Simon asked.

"Hello again, Simon," Bogo said, causing everyone to turn their heads and pay attention to the buffalo as he put his phone on speaker. " _Well? I'm waiting for an answer, Martin. That is your first name, isn't it? Martin Bogo?_ " Simon asked. "That is my name," Bogo said. " _Then why have you not responded to my query? Where are the Wildes?_ " Simon asked him. "They're here with me. They aren't in uniform today," Bogo said.

" _Well, that saves everyone some time. Although, I certainly hope that they still have their badges and ID on them. They may need those later... if they survive the night,_ " Simon said. During the entire exchange, Lisker was keeping his mouth shut as he listened to the voice on the phone.

" _I'd like to speak with them. May I?_ " Simon asked. "Wilde?" Bogo said. "H-Hello, Simon," Nick said through gritted teeth into the phone's receiver. "Hello, Simon," Judy said darkly as well.

" _And hello to both of you. So, are you meeting my associates by yourselves, or have you gone through the trouble of finding a friend?_ " Simon asked them. "I guess that'll be our little secret until we arrive at the meeting spot. Don't worry, we'll be the only police officers meeting you and your associates," Judy said.

" _Hm. Fair enough. Nice bluff. You couldn't find anyone willing to stick their neck out for you after you put them in prison without a chance for their sentence being changed. I knew it. Well, anyway, to prevent anyone from the ZPD coming to your rescue, I suppose I should tell you that there_ _ **is**_ _one more bomb hidden somewhere in the city,_ " Simon said, causing everyone's eyes to widen except Lisker's.

"Wait, I thought we got all of them yesterday," Nick protested. " _What!? Oh, you idiot! Please, as if I wouldn't have a contingency plan! No. See, this little hunt is for_ _ **the rest**_ _of the ZPD. You two are done finding bombs. For today's bomb hunt, I want two detectives, named Furrero and Gibson, to lead the charge,_ " Simon said.

This caused Lisker to raise an eyebrow. "Why do you want them?" Bogo asked. " _You'll find out eventually. Or maybe you won't. I'll flip a coin when the time comes,_ " Simon said flippantly. "Come on, just tell us where the meeting place is," Nick said. " _No. I will call you and Cutie Judy on the track phone. Right now, I think it is more prudent for the Chief of Police to have his officers begin a city-wide search for a two-ton explosive device hidden inside a daycare center, of which there are many throughout the megalopolis. And unlike schools, daycare centers tend to continue operations throughout the whole year,_ " Simon said with a chuckle.

Lisker narrowed his eyes at the phone. "I'll radio all officers to begin searching the-" " _Oh, I wouldn't do that if were you. See, we had a bargain on remote radio detonators, but the damn things just have this affinity for police and government band frequencies. It would be very easy for you to detonate the bomb by accident using your radios, especially after we activate the countdown timer. Aaaaaand... it's active. Simon says you have until three o'clock this afternoon to find the bomb and disable it. Simon says that if you attempt to evacuate the daycare centers, the bomb will detonate, so try to keep this discrete... if you can. Someone_ _ **will**_ _be watching. At two-thirty, I will call you if the bomb hasn't been found, and I will give you a hint as to its location. Have fun,_ " Simon said before hanging up.

"He singled out Furrero and Gibson? Why would he do that?" Lisker asked quietly, while Nick, Judy, and Bogo began talking about the bomb. "Just who the hell _is_ this guy?" Nick asked in frustration and anger. "He's a sadistic bastard, is what he is," Bogo said darkly. "Hey, hey!" Lisker yelled, getting their attention.

"What?" Nick asked him. "Why did he ask for Furrero and Gibson by name?" Lisker asked pointedly. "Come on, think! Why did he ask for them specifically? There has to be a connection between you guys. Something you all have in common," Lisker said. "He could have connections throughout the city. Besides, Gibson has an unfortunate reputation throughout much of Zootopia, and he's spent time dealing with a lot of rather unsavory people," Bogo said.

"It isn't too hard to figure out that in the course of scouting the city for locations to hide bombs, Simon or his associates would have learned about Gibson and then Furrero, since she's his partner," Bogo continued. Lisker nodded his head. "Still... it might be a smart idea to have someone watching their families and loved ones. This Simon guy had Nick and Judy's children abducted while they were running all over the city, and with today's bomb, he could easily get away with abducting someone close to Gibson or Furrero as well," Lisker explained.

"Chief, he's got a point," Judy said. "I'll have someone keeping an eye out. In the meantime, I need to send an e-mail to the captains of the other precincts. Simon didn't say anything about communicating with computer systems," Bogo noted. "He also didn't say that we couldn't search for the bomb either. Now, the three of you get ready and find out where Simon wants you to meet him," Bogo said reluctantly.

Ten minutes later, the buffalo left the room and made his way down to the briefing room, leaving the Wildes and Lisker alone. "So, do we wait for Simon to call us again, or do you wanna call him yourselves this time?" Lisker asked them. "We'll call him," Judy said as she brought out her track phone.

She dialed Simon's number and waited. " _Taking the initiative, are we? Are you alone now?_ " Simon asked. "Yes. Chief Bogo has left to inform the others about the bomb," Judy replied.

" _Good. Now, I want you to meet with my associates-you may want to write this down-in Sahara Square at the Dry Bone Valley. It's far enough away from prying eyes. Meet them at noon today if you want to see your children again. You will follow the instructions given to you by my subordinates after they arrive. Bye,_ " Simon said before ending the call.

"Twelve o'clock noon. That's three hours from now," Judy said as she looked at the clock on the wall. "Well, let's not waste any time," Lisker said as he grabbed his coffee and resumed drinking it. "Although, I would like to get a jacket," Lisker added. The trio then silently left the office.

 **The Main Lobby...**

Chief Bogo stood in front of almost a hundred ZPD officers, glancing over at the doors to make sure that they were closed and secured. He walked over to the podium and grabbed the microphone. "Alright, people. Today, we received another phone call from our newest terrorist, Simon. Now, once again, this name is an alias, and know next to nothing about him," Bogo said.

"However, he has informed us, just recently, that he has planted a bomb in a daycare center somewhere in the city. We don't know if it is located on the mainland or elsewhere, and so the Fifth Precinct has been alerted and is on standby," Bogo continued. "Unfortunately, the bomb has a radio detonator, and it may respond to bands on our frequency. Therefore, you are all to communicate with your phones and by mouth. However, I don't want the media getting involved in any way," he said.

"As soon as they get involved, things will be come more complicated. Simon has agreed to call us thirty minutes before the deadline in order to give us a hint to the bomb's location, but I would advise against waiting that long to do anything. I want the entire city searched, and I want everyone to get on this. I want librarians, government officials, city council members, and whoever can be discrete and efficient to work with us," Bogo said. "Once again, avoid radio usage on our band," Bogo said.

"This animal has already blown up a bank and killed dozens of innocent animals. There is very little chance that he's bluffing. As soon as the bomb is found, I want a call made, through a secure phone channel, to the station and sent to me or to the bomb squad. Let's begin our search," Bogo said before he started dividing the officers up into teams.

* * *

 **Dry Bone Valley, 12:00 pm...**

Sitting in the back of Nick and Judy's mini-van, Lisker looked out the window at desert region that they were entering. "So, from what you guys have told me, these mercenaries are pretty dangerous. I'm beginning to re-think my plan, but... I don't think they'll kill either of you if I do anything. This Simon guy seems pretty intent on having you to himself," Lisker said. "Your plan is to shoot as many of them as you can and beat the location of our children out of the survivors," Nick said.

"Yeah... you know, it seemed pretty solid when I thought of it," Lisker said. "I'm sure a lot of your ideas seemed pretty good to you when they first popped into your head," Nick said with a hint of disgust in his voice. "I already let you hit me. What more do you want?" Lisker asked him. "I could give you a pretty long list if I get the time," Nick replied sharply.

"We're almost there," Judy said as she started slowing down the van. Up ahead on a barren stretch of dirt were several vehicles, including two black vans, a large freight truck, and a few dirt bikes. Several animals wearing suits were already standing out in the open, all of them holding guns in their paws.

Coming close enough to the group of mercenaries but still keeping a short distance, Judy brought the vehicle to a stop and parked it. "How many do you see out there?" she asked Nick nervously. "At least a dozen or more," Nick said grimly. Lisker had taken off his seat belt and had gotten onto the floor of the van, keeping himself hidden. "You know, maybe we should have brought that one bomb you guys found," Lisker said.

"We found two, and both of them are with the ZPD forensics units," Nick said. "You said that you only handed off one of them yourselves. What about the other one?" Lisker asked. "We gave it to an employee at the casino, and he gave it to the bomb squad after they arrived," Nick said. "Are you sure? Did you check with the bomb squad?" Lisker asked them.

"Uh... no. No, we didn't," Nick said as he mentally kicked himself. "Look, let's just focus on the task at paw here," Judy said as she unbuckled her seat belt, prompting Nick to do the same. In the back, Lisker took out the Bearretta that Gibson had lent to him, while his revolver was safely tucked away with his black and red checkered flanel jacket covering the holster. "Here we go," Nick said after sucking in a breath and letting it out to calm his nerves. Judy reached over and grabbed one his paws, gently squeezing it reassuringly.

"It'll be okay. We'll get our children back," Judy said. "Judy, leave your keys in the car, along with your cell phone," Lisker said from the back floor. "What?" Nick asked him. "Trust me. I have a new plan. Those guys are probably going to take you in one of their own vehicles, and that means your vehicle will be left behind. Leave the keys in here, and I can follow you after they've taken off," Lisker said.

"How do we know you won't just try to disappear?" Nick asked him. "Trust me, I won't," Lisker replied. "Fine," Nick said reluctantly. Judy left the keys on the console before opening the door and getting out of the minivan, with Nick soon doing the same. Lisker took a deep breath as he heard their doors close, and slowly maneuvered himself to get a view of the proceedings without giving himself away.

Meanwhile, the mercenaries watched as Nick and Judy approached them. One of them, a large tiger with healing cuts on his face and sunglasses, smirked, as did the dingo standing next to him. Both mammals were holding submachine guns in their paws. The dingo pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Sir, they're here," Phoenix said. " _Define 'they' for me,_ " Komo requested.

"The fox and the bunny," Phoenix replied. " _Good. Prepare them for travel and bring them to the club. Remember to use the back entrance route. One more thing, remember that I want them alive. Even if they do something stupid, I still want you to bring them to me_ _ **alive**_ _,_ " Komo replied. "Affirmative," Phoenix said with a nod before turning off the walkie-talkie.

Phoenix glanced over at Sherakh. "Boss says to use the back entrance route for travel, and make sure that they're still alive when we get there," Phoenix said. "Did he think we'd already forgotten?" Sherakh retorted. "He says to keep 'em alive even if they do something stupid," Phoenix added. "Hn. Did he say they have to be intact, though?" Sherakh asked him. "I'd assume that being intact comes with being alive," Phoenix said.

"Very well," Sherakh said with a sigh. Phoenix looked over at one of the coyotes standing next to him. "Spence. Go greet them and stay alert," Phoenix said before gesturing for the coyote to make his way to the married couple. Spencer nodded his head and began walking forward, keeping his SMG pointed at the ground and his fingers off the trigger.

Spencer stopped mere feet away from Nick and Judy. "Nice seeing you again," he said with a grin. "Again?" Nick asked him. "Yes. I was at the casino, remember?" Spencer asked them. A look of shock and realization crossed Nick and Judy's faces. "You mean... oh shit," Nick muttered. "Yep. We've still another bomb that we can reset and plant elsewhere whenever we want," Spencer replied with a snicker.

"Anyway, enough chit chat. Empty your pockets," Spencer said. "Where are our children?" Judy asked firmly. "As I said, empty your pockets," Spencer repeated. " _Where_... are our _children?_ " Judy asked him again. "[sigh] Look, empty your pockets, or I will be forced to search them myself," Spencer said sternly.

"I just want to know where our children are," Judy said. "That's understandable, but it's still in your best interest to follow our instructions if you want to see them. Now, _empty_ your pockets," Spencer said again, his eyes narrowing at the hare. Nick and Judy both reluctantly put their paws in their jacket pockets and pulled them out, revealing two tasers, one in each jacket.

"Huh. I thought you would try to bring a gun or a grenade," Spencer said. "We've emptied our pockets. Now, where are our children?" Nick asked him. "Where are Ben and Vicky?" Judy chimed in. Spencer held up a paw and made a whistling sound, motioning his paw forward.

Phoenix and Sherakh both began walking over to the duo, with Phoenix making paw gestures for the other mercenaries to take positions and spread out. Phoenix then retrieved two blindfolds from his pocket, along with a case of ear plugs. A gentle breeze passed through the valley, blowing past Judy and Nick and into Phoenix's face. "Wait," he said as he stopped.

"Did you catch that scent?" Phoenix asked Sherakh. Phoenix looked back over at three wolves who had taken defensive positions around the truck. He then glanced over at Nick and Judy's minivan. The doors were all closed and the windows were sealed. "Hm," Phoenix growled as he stepped forward and began sniffing Nick and Judy.

"Who's the wolf?" he asked them. "The wolf?" Nick asked him. "Don't play dumb, Wilde. You've both got wolf scent on you. Alpha male, at that. Old one too," Phoenix said. "We met with a prisoner this morning, but he bailed after learning who we were up against. He's a former cop named Milton Lisker, and he's an asshole," Nick replied.

"Former? Prisoner? A crooked cop then?" Phoenix asked with a smirk. "Very," Nick replied with a frown. "When did you meet with him?" Phoenix asked carefully. "Last night, and we drove him to the station in our van. That's why his scent is all over us. He decided to use the back seat for his nap," Nick lied.

"Hm. What did he do that makes you so eager to paint him in a bad light?" Phoenix asked. "He framed me for the _assault_ of one fellow officer and _murder_ of another one," Nick replied. "Oh. So you _did_ find someone who met the requirements. Too bad they decided that living in prison was better than getting shot full of holes, eh?" Phoenix asked with a chuckle.

Sherakh and Spencer both joined in with their own chuckles. "Well, anyway, I need you both to put on these bandanas," Phoenix said. "Uh, Fire? Those are blindfolds," Spencer said. "Thank you, Spencer. Now, shut the fuck up," Phoenix replied with a smile. Sherakh chuckled at Phoenix's reply.

"Fire? Is that what we call you?" Nick asked as he grabbed one of the blindfolds. "Yes. Mister Fire for me, Mister Shark for the tiger, and Mister Snout for this coyote," Phoenix replied. "And what about Simon? Is he _Mister_ Simon as well?" Nick asked snidely. "Actually, he goes by Mister Tail," Phoenix replied.

"Why's that? He's too busy chasing it to do anything himself?" Nick asked with a snicker. "Keep it up, shit-head. The boss said he wants you both alive, but that doesn't mean you have to look pretty when we meet him," Phoenix retorted with a smirk. "Isn't anyone going to tell us where our children are at?" Judy asked in frustration.

"Oh, your children?" Sherakh asked with a toothy grin. "Don't worry. They're alive... for now," Phoenix said. "I'll bet you're both wondering what we've done with them, though? Right? What have we done with them since we took them? I'll bet that question kept you both up til the break of dawn," Sherakh said with a chuckle.

Judy and Nick both glared at him. "You're dead, fuck-face," Nick said. "I'll make what Janet did to your face look like a walk in the park," the fox added. "Are you referring to _Miss Janet?_ Yes, your children both seemed quite fond of her. You should have heard the boy screaming when I beat her face in and threw your couch at her," Sherakh said as he taunted the couple. "That's enough, Shark," Phoenix said.

Judy soon retrieved the other blindfold from Phoenix's paws. "Please, where are our children? I want to see them before we go anywhere with you," Judy demanded. "Okay, you aren't in a position to make demands, Cutie," Phoenix said. "Don't call me cute," Judy said. "Yeah, only I'm allowed to do that," Nick said as he tied the blindfold around his head.

"I also need you to put these ear plugs in your ears," Phoenix said as he grabbed both mammals' paws and held them open before depositing the ear plugs. "Isn't it enough that we can't see anything?" Nick asked him. "No. I'd like to keep you panicking as much as possible," Phoenix said. "I mean... damn, I wish Sly were here," Phoenix said. "Sly? Wait... Sylvester Barbaros?" Nick asked him.

"Yeah. You're starting to get the picture now, aren't you?" Phoenix asked. "So that's what this is about. This is revenge for your mercenary buddies," Nick said. "Well... yeah. But not just them. You'll see what I mean when we take you to your children," Phoenix said.

"Honey Bunny, please put the blindfold on," Phoenix said after noticing that Judy hadn't put her blindfold on yet. Judy looked up at him, glared, and then spat in his face. "Okay, _that_ was just uncalled for," Phoenix said before smacking Judy to the ground. "Judy!" Nick cried out after hearing her fall to the ground. "Put on the blindfold, or I'll call the boss and tell him to go ahead and kill one of the children. I'm not bluffing. I used to work alongside Maulia Barbaros and Zack Bandit, and you met both of them in person. Now, do as I say," Phoenix demanded sternly.

"Fuck you," Judy said as she put on the blindfold before inserting the ear plugs. "Spence, come here," Phoenix said as he walked away and motioned for the coyote to follow him. "I didn't see the bunny's car keys on her. I want you to stay behind and check the minivan after we've left. I'll leave Hopkins and Duellos with you. If there's nobody in the van, drive it out somewhere and ditch it before making your way to rally point gamma. Call me when you've reached it and I'll have someone pick you guys up there," Phoenix said.

Spencer nodded his head in understanding. "Of course, that bunny's still got good hearing, even with the ear plugs. So, I need you to walk with us before heading back to the van," Phoenix said. "Why? Why not just stay here with the minivan?" Spencer asked him. "Because I need to give you a spare phone to call us, and I didn't bring it out here. Also, this is for that remark about the blindfolds," Phoenix said.

Spencer let out a sigh. "Yes, sir," he said reluctantly. "Good boy," Phoenix said before reaching around and patting the coyote on the back. "Alright, we're moving out!" Phoenix called out as he walked back with Spencer and began dragging Nick and Judy with them to the freight truck.

Meanwhile, inside the minivan, Lisker was busy planning his next move as he carefully rose his head and watched the group walking away. "Fuck. Wait until they're far enough, and then start driving," Lisker said as he watched the group walk further away. Eventually, he saw Nick and Judy get taken to the back of the freight truck and thrown inside, while the tiger hopped into the back with them, and the dingo locked it up before walking over to the driver's cab.

Lisker watched as the other mercenaries piled into their vans until just three were left. He quickly and carefully retrieved the keys before sliding back to rear right passenger side door and opening it to get out, carefully closing the door as quietly as possible while keeping himself out of sight. He made sure that his borrowed Bearretta was ready to fire. He slowly crouch-walked over to the rear of the vehicle peeked out around to see the truck and other vans driving away.

The three remaining mercenaries began making their way towards the minivan, prompting Lisker to duck and silently wait for them to approach. He carefully listened to the sounds of their paw pads on the dirt as they got closer. He waited very carefully as their voices got louder as well.

"I say we just loot the damn thing leave it here," one of them said. "Not a chance," another one retorted. "Orders are orders, so let's get this done," the lead said. Another breeze soon blew through the area, and Lisker knew that he now had only a few seconds before he was given away. He soon heard the front door open. Carefully peeking over, Lisker saw a coyote, a wolf, and cheetah inspecting the car. _Three of them and one of me... I feel sorry for these assholes,_ Lisker thought to himself as he carefully held his gun behind his back.

"Hey, you sniff that?" the wolf asked. "Yo!" Lisker called out as he stepped around the van. "Who the fuck are you!?" the cheetah asked as he raised his SMG. "Name's Joe Hallenbeck. I'm with the city's vehicle retrieval department," Lisker said. All three animals raised their eyebrows at him incredulously.

"Say, I recently got a report of something strange here today," Lisker said with a grin. "Really? And just what would that be?" the coyote asked him darkly. "I got a report that this minivan was stolen by a fat polar bear with eight magic penguins," Lisker said, watching the trio lower their guard for a fraction of a second as they processed his words.

Lisker then brought out his gun and opened fire at them, hitting the cheetah in the throat while the coyote ducked around to the front of the van as Lisker hit the wolf in the stomach. The wolf cried out before firing his SMG as he fell, hitting the cheetah in the chest and sending him falling over onto the ground. "Where's your buddy?" Lisker asked quietly before he heard the sound of paw pads on the ground coming around the other side of the minivan. He quickly turned around and caught the fast-moving coyote as he bolted from the other side of the van.

The coyote lunged at him and tackled him to ground, before Lisker lifted his legs and kicked him over to the ground. He grabbed his gun from the ground and fired three times at the coyote, striking him in the back and the head. "Yeah. He has an adorable smile, crates of soda, and a red and white outfit. I'm shocked that you guys didn't see him," Lisker said as he started rifling through the coyote's suit for weaponry and ID.

"Eric Spencer, huh?" Lisker read out loud as he looked at the coyote's ID. "What about your friends?" Lisker asked as he walked over and rifled through their suits. "Okay, Carmine Duellos, and... Christopher Hopkins. Nice names," Lisker quipped before he saw the wolf still on the ground, wheezing. "Say... you got time to answer some questions?" Lisker asked him darkly as he crouched near the dying wolf.

"F-Fuck you," the wolf spat. "Is that a yes? Good," Lisker said, ignoring the wolf's remarks as he pressed his gun to the wolf's head. "Okay, let's get this out of the way. I am not a nice guy. I may have once been a police officer, but, buddy, I fucked up _real bad_. So... since you kill people for money, and are a criminal, I have no qualms about blowing your brains out. Understand that? I'm already sentenced to life without parole, so I have no reason to spare you if you fuck with me," Lisker said.

The wolf merely glared at him. "So, uh... which daycare center has the bomb in it?" Lisker asked him. "I wasn't told. Only... only the guys in charge know that. Mister Shark's the one who planted it," the wolf replied. "Hm... I'm going to believe you on that one. Now... where are the Wildes being taken? I want the truth," Lisker asked him. "You'll have to follow them. You have a vehicle," the wolf replied with a smirk.

"By the way, the polar bear's name is Santa Claws. Eight magic penguins, you know? Fuck it," Lisker said with the wolf failed to reply. He then grabbed the SMG's and spare ammo from the animals before putting them in the front passenger seat. He then looked back over at the coyote lying on the ground.

Walking back over to the coyote, Lisker grabbed the phone that was in the suit pockets. He then quickly made his way back to the minivan and got in the front seat, adjusting it for his height before closing the door and starting the engine. He took out Judy's cell phone and called Chief Bogo. "Come on, pick up," Lisker muttered.

" _Wilde?_ " Bogo asked. "No. Lisker. Listen, Chief, the mercenaries have taken the Wildes and are on their way to their hideout. I managed to... interrogate a mercenary who stayed behind to take care of Nick and Judy's van," Lisker said. " _What did you find out?_ " Bogo asked him.

"Well... the wolf I interrogated doesn't know the location of daycare bomb, and he wouldn't tell me where the Wildes are being taken either, so I have to start following them. Only Simon and a few others in charge know the location of the daycare bomb, apparently. Guess you'll have to wait for Simon to call you at Two-Thirty if you don't find it before then. Anyway, I'm driving Nick and Judy's minivan, so... I'm not coming back without them. I give you my word," Lisker said.

" _You'd better,_ " Bogo said. "I know," Lisker replied before hanging up. "Just hold on, guys. I'm comin' to get ya," Lisker said under his breath as he drove away from the scene.

* * *

After the vans, freight truck, and bikes made their way back onto the main road, they carefully began spreading themselves out among the regular traffic. A few minutes later, Phoenix looked in the side mirror of the truck and saw a familiar minivan. Taking out his phone, he called Spencer. "Spence, you aren't supposed to follow us," Phoenix said.

When there was no response, Phoenix frowned. "Something's wrong," he muttered to himself. He checked the side mirror again, and saw that the minivan was keeping itself spaced just far enough away to give the appearance of being casual while still being close enough to follow them. _There was someone in the car, wasn't there? I can't believe I made a rookie mistake like that. I should have checked the damn thing before leaving!_

Phoenix quickly called up the rest the team on the radio. "Attention, Team Bravo. Execute Contingency Plan Delta," Phoenix said over the radio. He quickly hung it up. "Alright, pal. Let's find out who you are and just how smart you are," Phoenix said.

Soon, the other two black vans began carefully arranging themselves in traffic so that one of them was behind the Wildes' minivan, and the other one was keeping pace with it in the next lane. Inside the minivan, Lisker noticed the vans and cursed under his breath at how quickly he had been found out. He saw the four bikes keeping themselves ahead of the truck as they came up to a ramp for the freeway.

Two bikes took the ramp, while the other two and the truck kept going forward. Looking to his left, Lisker saw the leopard in the front passenger seat motioning for him to take the ramp. Lisker grinned and waved at him as he kept going forward. The leopard frowned and turned his head to say something to the golden jackal who was driving. As the vehicles continued on their way to the transitional tunnel, Lisker kept his eyes facing forward as he glanced at the mirrors and to his side to see what the mercenaries might have been planning.

After a few minutes of nothing happening, however, Lisker became concerned. "Oh shit, what are they planning?" he asked himself as the two vans maintained their positions around the minivan. Eventually, they entered the transitional tunnel. Again, Lisker kept his wits about him as he checked to see if the vans were maintaining their speed and positions. And, indeed, they were.

He became nervous. As the trek through the transitional tunnel continued, Lisker began to become increasingly alert and paranoid as he glanced at the two vans. From what Judy and Nick had told him about the previous mercenary incidents, he was expecting them to try to attack him with guns ablazing or perhaps attempt to run him off the road. But nothing had happened so far. And _that_ was what was making him nervous.

Soon, Lisker saw the truck exit the tunnel ahead of him, and he prepared to follow it. A few cars later, Lisker exited the tunnel as well, just as the black van next to him honked its horn and the one behind it sped up to ram him from behind. Lisker shuddered in his seat from the impact. "Dammit!" he cried out as the van repeated the attack two more times.

The side van then rammed into him as well before pulling back. "What the hell?" Lisker asked in confusion as the black van reduced its speed. When he took his eyes off of the mirror, he gasped in surprise as a jeep drove out onto the road from a hiding spot along the left side of the entrance tunnel, timing itself to avoid traffic. Turning the wheel frantically in confusion and desperation, Lisker almost lost control as the two vans resumed their ramming attack and ran him off of the road and onto a large forest area along the side of the road.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Lisker screamed as he managed to get the brakes to work just before hitting a tree. "Holy _shit!_ " he swore as he tried to catch his breath. He soon heard the sound of tires on the dirt behind him and saw the two vans pulling up next to him.

The mercenaries quickly got out and aimed their guns at the car. Looking from left to right, Lisker closed his eyes and drew a breath before letting it out in frustration. "Good going, Milt," Lisker said to himself. "At least I kept the van intact," he said to himself as consolation.

He quickly shut off the engine and pulled the keys out of the ignition before stowing them in his jean pockets. He took out his Bearretta and looked around. The mercenaries were already waiting for him to try it. He let out another sigh and put the gun on the passenger seat before unlocking the door and slowly getting out, raising his arms into the air.

He made sure to keep himself facing the jackal and leopard who were pointing their guns at him. "Is this because I didn't let you onto the ramp?" Lisker asked him sarcastically. The leopard took out a small radio. "Mister Fire. We have cornered the interloper. He is a gray wolf. What do you want us to do?" the leopard asked him.

" _Take him alive and bring him along. I want to find out what he knows. Check him for a wire and then blindfold him,_ " Phoenix replied over the radio. The leopard nodded his head. "Affirmative," the leopard said. "Mister Claw! Mister Fang! Check him for a wire!" the leopard shouted.

A tiger and a coyote made their way around the minivan and grabbed Lisker before slamming him against the side. The tiger and coyote searched him before taking the holster with the revolver from under the wolf's checkered jacket. "No wire, but I did find a phone, and a gun," Mr. Fang said as he held up Spencer's phone and Lisker's old Smythe & Weasel revolver.

"Wow. That's an old piece," the leopard said. "So, what do we do with him now?" Mr. Claw asked. "Fire wants us to take him along. Find out what he knows," the leopard said. "Anyone got a blindfold?" the leopard asked. "You know, I think that you could use the sleeves of my jacket to cover my eyes," Lisker suggested.

"Yeah... or we could tie the sleeves around your throat and cover you with the rest of it," the leopard said with a smirk. "Don't worry. We won't choke you. But, uh... what happened to the others?" the leopard asked him. "A big fat polar bear with eight flying penguins swooped down and took them away," Lisker replied facetiously. "He's got their guns in the passenger seat," Mr. Claw said as he looked in the window.

"Grab them. Leave the minivan here. Take his guns too. We're leaving," the leopard ordered. "You know, I didn't catch your name," Lisker said as Mr. Fang and Mr. Claw grabbed his jacket and pulled it off of him. "You may call me Mister Eyes," the leopard said as Claw and Fang began tying the jacket sleeves around Lisker's throat before throwing the rest over his face.

"Ack! _Not so tight! Not so tight!_ " Lisker choked out from under the jacket. "Load him in the van," Mr. Eyes said before Fang and Claw opened a back door and threw Lisker inside with one mercenary who had remained in the vehicle. The mercenaries soon departed, and the minivan was left alone near the side of the road.

* * *

Author's Notes: And that was chapter 10 of the story. I hope everyone liked it. Anyway, in the next chapter, Nick and Judy _finally_ get to meet Komo Domo face to face, and Lisker gets tortured for information, while the ZPD desperately continue their search for the bomb hidden inside a daycare center.

Will the ZPD find and disarm the bomb in time? Will the Wildes and Lisker escape the clutches of Komo Domo? Find out in the next chapter of The Good, The Bad, & The Evil!

Also, be sure to let me know what you think of the chapter and/or the story so far in your reviews. Those are always appreciated.


	12. Last Tango In Happytown

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

Also, this chapter was written while listening to the soundtracks for _Lethal Weapon_ (1987) and _Die Hard With A Vengeance_ (1995). The main tracks I listened to from _Lethal Weapon_ were _Mr. Joshua_ from the original album, _Nightclub_ from the original album, _We're Leaving, General's Car, The Hunsacker Story,_ and _S.O.B. Knows Where I Live_ from the expanded soundtrack.

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Last Tango In Happytown**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, July 17th, 2030

 **Flock Street, Downtown Savanna Central**

Chief Bogo looked down at his watch. It was 2:00 pm and the bomb still had not been found in any of the daycare centers that his officers had searched. His only consolation was that the media had not been alerted yet. Currently, Furrero and Gibson were both inspecting the Fair Grass Daycare Center on Flock Street, along with himself, Lieutenant Burns, and an explosives expert, a snow leopard named Hal.

"There's nothing in this one either," Furrero said as she exited the building with Gibson. "No traces of anything at all?" Bogo asked her. "Nope. If it weren't for yesterday, I'd say that Simon is just fucking with us," Furrero replied.

"Have we heard anything yet from Lisker and the Wildes?" Gibson asked. "Lisker managed to contact me on Sergeant Wilde's phone, saying that the Wildes have been captured and are being transported to the mercenaries' hideout. Lisker did manage to interrogate a mercenary for information on the bomb and where the Wildes were being taken," Bogo relayed. "And? What did he learn?" Furrero asked.

"Nothing. Apparently, only Simon and his direct underlings know the location of the bomb, and he had to follow the mercenaries to keep track of where the Wildes are being taken. I haven't heard from him since, and that was almost ninety minutes ago," Bogo said with a hint of worry in his voice. "Great," Furrero said sarcastically with a hint of incredulity. "Our only hope for the Wildes' survival is _Lisker_."

* * *

 **The Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club, Happytown...**

Komo Domo looked at his watch as he stepped out into the back parking lot of the strip club, which was itself part of a much larger building that housed several businesses. As such, there were several docks and trucks parked along the back, along with multiple vans and cars. "Five after Two," Komo said as he looked at the watch. He pulled out his track phone and scrolled down the list of numbers on the contact list after unlocking the phone.

"And... time for the media to get involved," Komo said to himself with a chuckle. He hit the contact number and the phone dialed. " _Hello! Thank you for calling DJ Hornberg's radio show, the number one radio show in Savanna Central. I'm DJ Hornberg,_ " a very energetic gemsbok sitting in a chair in a studio somewhere said as he answered the call.

"Uh, hello. My name's Clarence Boddicker. I'm a very big fan of your show, and I listen to it all the time," Komo lied. " _Great to hear. So, what can I do for ya? Any special requests? Any hit singles from today or yesteryear that you'd like to hear?_ " DJ Hornberg asked him. "Well, not quite. See, my brother-in-law; he's a police officer, and I just heard from him a short while ago that some sick psycho planted a bomb in a daycare center somewhere Savanna Central," Komo lied.

" _Um... what?_ " DJ Hornberg asked in confusion. "Yeah. He told me that some lunatic planted a bomb in a daycare center somewhere in Savanna Central," Komo lied again. He had to restrain himself from snickering. " _Oh... my... god,_ " DJ Hornberg muttered over the radio and phone.

* * *

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One, Savanna Central...**

Benjamin Clawhauser had just exited the bathroom when he heard the commotion of running hooves and paws on the floor. Over a dozen dispatchers were running towards the first and second dispatch rooms. "Hey, what's going on?" Clawhauser asked one female wolf.

"The lines are going crazy! We need everyone at their post," she said. "What?" Clawhauser asked her. "We're getting _flooded_ with panicked calls from citizens asking about a bomb in a daycare center!" she explained. Clawhauser's eyes widened as he followed her into the first room, seeing nearly two dozen police dispatchers receiving calls, hanging up, and then receiving more calls.

Clawhauser quickly hurried to the front desk, where the phone was ringing loudly. "Oh, this is not a good day," he muttered to himself as he ran over and picked up the phone. Another phone on the desk soon rang. "Zootopia Police Department! This is Sergeant Clawhauser speaking. How can I help you?" the cheetah asked before he heard the panicked voice on the line.

* * *

 **The Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club...**

Komo leaned back against the brick wall of the building and sighed. "It does my heart _good_ to alert other animals of the danger they're in," Komo said to himself before snickering. Looking over at the parked freight truck next to the stairs, Komo sighed and walked back inside the long corridors of the building.

Carefully making his way to one of the back storage rooms, he opened the door and looked inside at the gray wolf who was lying on the floor. Sitting on a nearby crate, Sherakh looked up at Komo. "He's still breathing, but apparently he decided to take a nap once he heard that he'd be in here for a while," Sherakh said.

"Are you serious? He hasn't tried to escape or fight back? He's... taking a _nap?_ " Komo asked him incredulously. "Mm... mm-hm. Yeah," Sherakh said curtly. "Huh. That's... a new one," Komo said. "Now, the Wildes... have not been reunited with their children in the time that I've been away from here. Right? You didn't do anything while I met with the badger to give him his product? When I check that storage room, I'd better not see more than two mammals in there," Komo warned.

"Relax, sir. They've been in there fretting over their offspring since we returned. Besides, how can they be reunited when the children haven't even been retrieved from the bunker yet?" Sherakh replied. "They haven't? I thought I told you to have them brought here earlier," Komo said. "Y-You did? When?" Sehrakh asked him curiously. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. I already told Mister Hide and Mister Tongue to wait until Five to move the children from bunker. Might as well let the Wildes and this... _interloper_ stew a bit longer," Komo said.

"What do you want us to do with him? Phoenix wanted him to be interrogated right away, but I persuaded him to wait until your return to take any action," Sherakh asked him. "Well... after the children arrive, we'll begin interrogating him. Give me some time to think of the details. Until then, don't do anything. The citizens of Zootopia are going fucking bananas right now, and I'd actually kind of like to let them run around in panic for a bit. The police will never find us at this point," Komo said confidently.

"You sure it's a good idea to wait?" Sherakh asked him. "Why not? The police aren't going to inspect a _strip club_ for a bomb," Komo replied. "For now, just go out and enjoy the club. When it's time to get Wilde, I'll call you back here," Komo said with a grin. "I you say so," Sherakh said with a sigh. "Besides, I have another phone call to make soon," Komo said as Sherakh walked past him.

"Just let me know when you need me," Sherakh said before making his way down the dimly-lit corridor of the building.

* * *

 **Downtown Savanna Central, 2:30 pm...**

Chief Bogo looked down at his watch anxiously. Holding his cell phone in his hoof, he waited with baited breath for Simon's phone call. Furrero, Gibson, and Burns were all huddled around him as another team of officers was busy keeping several TV reporters and camera crews back from the police vans. "We've only got thirty-" "Shh!" Bogo sounded as he held up his other hoof to silence Burns. The tiger closed his mouth.

Soon, the phone rang. "Hello, Chief Bogo speaking," Bogo said as he saw the phone list the number as an unidentified caller. He made sure to put the phone on speaker mode. " _Hello, Chief. So, how's the hunt coming along?_ " Simon asked him. "Just tell us where the bomb is, Simon. There are innocent lives at stake here," Bogo said.

" _Well, no shit. Anyway, here is your clue. What is always up above us, yet always looks like it's feeling down? Bye,_ " Simon said before hanging up. "Another riddle?" Bogo asked incredulously before growling in frustration. "I don't get it," Gibson said in confusion. "What is always up above us, yet always looking like it's down?" Furrero asked.

"The sky," Burns said. "But what the hell does the second part mean?" Gibson asked. "Always looking like it's... feeling down? Wait, what's another term for feeling down?" Burns asked. "Sad. And another term for feeling sad is... blue! Feeling blue!" Furrero exclaimed. "Sky Blue? No, it's Blue Sky. Shit! It's Blue Sky Daycare Center!" Bogo exclaimed.

"Alert all units to move in to Blue Sky Daycare Center at... uh, where's it located?" Bogo asked Burns. "It's on Grass Street, but that's just outside of the Downtown Area," Burns replied. "Doesn't matter. Let's move!" Bogo said before Furrero and Gibson got into Gibson's truck, while Bogo and Burns got into their cruiser, where Hal was waiting with his explosives kit. As Burns drove the cruiser, Bogo looked at his phone and began typing a text message for all officers on his contact list.

 **Blue Sky Daycare Center, Six Minutes Later...**

Burns stopped the cruiser inside the parking lot. "How long until the others can get here?" the tiger asked the cape buffalo. "We have the bomb squad on its way now, and only McLeod and Fursfield will be able to get here in less than five minutes," Bogo said in dismay. "I have my bomb kit," Hal said.

"We should wait for the bomb squad to-" "We have to find the bomb first," Hal interrupted him. "He's right, Chief. Bomb squad's no good if they can't find the bomb," Burns said. A minute later, Gibson and Furrero pulled into the parking lot, getting out of the pickup truck after Gibson managed to park it. Bogo, Burns, and Hal quickly followed suit and made their way over to the entrance of the building.

Bogo put his hoof on the buzzer. There was a white tail deer doe standing inside the doors, wearing the uniform of an employee. Bogo waved at her. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Can I help you?" she asked them nervously. "Hello, Ma'am. I'm Chief Bogo of the ZPD," Bogo said as he took out his ID and showed it to the doe.

"I, uh... heard on the radio about... is it true?" the doe asked him nervously. "Yes, Ma'am. It is true. Now, we need to avoid a panic, and we need you to keep all of the children calm and under control. We need to search the premises," Bogo said. "Of course," the doe said shakily.

"Hal, go with Furrero and Gibson. Burns, you'll stay with me," Bogo said. Burns nodded his head. "How many children are in here today?" Bogo asked the doe. "At least forty today," she replied. "Okay. We need to keep this as discrete as possible, and we can't evacuate the building," Bogo said. "W-What!? Why not?" the doe asked worriedly.

Bogo looked down at the name-tag on her uniform. "Listen, Mrs. Bello, the animal responsible for this could be watching the building, and he has assured us that he will detonate the bomb if we attempt to evacuate the facility. Now, where is the main room with the children?" Bogo asked her. "The main room is located down the hall. We also have a smaller room with over a dozen infants sleeping," Mrs. Bello said.

"Who is in charge of this facility?" Bogo asked her. "Mrs. Westridge. She's in our main office trying to calm the rest of the staff," Mrs. Bello replied. "Okay. We have until Three o'clock. I'd like to meet with the staff now," Bogo said.

Meanwhile, scouring the hallways, Gibson, Furrero, and Hal soon came across a refrigerator near a storage room. "What the hell is that doing out here?" Gibson asked out loud. Hal walked over and looked behind the fridge. "It's not plugged into anything," Hal said as he put his paws on the surface of the fridge and felt around it. "It's got no opening doors. It's been screwed shut," Hal relayed.

"Gibson, call the Chief. I think we found the bomb," Furrero said. Gibson quickly complied and took out his cell phone. "Chief, we found Simon's present," Gibson said. " _I'll be over there soon enough,_ " Bogo said before hanging up.

A couple of minutes later, Bogo entered the hallway with three members of the daycare's staff and Lieutenant Burns. McLeod and Fursfield had just entered the building as well. "Chief! Did you find it?" Fursfield asked as he jogged over to the group. "We think so," Bogo replied as he led them down the hall to the storage room, outside of which was where Hal and Furrero were pulling apart a refrigerator.

"That was delivered to us on Sunday," Mrs. Westridge, a female hippo in her forties, said. "Who delivered it?" Bogo asked her. "A tiger. He said that we were being given a new refrigerator to replace one of our old ones, but it still needed a few parts that were on backorder. One of our refrigerators actually did start to go on us last week and we _did_ call for a replacement, so I didn't think anything of it when that tiger showed up to drop it off," Mrs. Westridge explained.

"Almost there," Hal said as he unscrewed the last screw holding the front of the fridge in place. "Okay, gently move it to the side," the snow leopard said as he and Furrero set the false door piece down next to the wall. "Oh shit," Hal said as he looked at the bomb inside of the case.

"It's just like the one that the Wildes handed to us at their place. "It's a binary liquid detonator, just like epoxy," Hal said in fascination, before he saw the paper taped to the computer screen inside the machine above a keypad. He ripped the paper from the screen and saw the countdown timer behind it.

 **00:15:32**

 **00:15:31**

 **00:15:30**

 **00:15:29**

 **00:15:28**

"Oh shit," Hal muttered. "Chief, what's the ETA on the bomb squad?" Hal asked. Bogo took out his phone and dialed the number of the bomb squad captain. "Captain Munch, we've found the bomb. We have fifteen minutes before it blows. How far away are you?" Bogo asked after hearing the wolf pick up the phone.

" _I got some bad news, Chief. There's been an accident at the intersection we're nearing and traffic's backed up for two blocks. We're using our GPS system to find another way around, but... what did that thing say? We've got a route, and it's... ten minutes if we can back up and make a left turn here,_ " Captain Munch said.

"Are you sure you can't make it here sooner?" Bogo asked him worriedly. " _I'm sorry, Chief. Maybe we can make it nine minutes, but that's it. This accident's got traffic congested all over the place, and it's getting worse by the minute. If we don't get there in ten minutes, then just evacuate and get everyone the hell out of there as fast as you can,_ " Munch replied.

"Just do what you can," Bogo said before hanging up. "So, what's the score?" Gibson asked the buffalo. "Bomb squad won't be able to get here for at least ten minutes," Bogo said. "What!?" Furrero asked him incredulously. "They route they took is getting congested because of an accident on the road. They're trying to find another way here," Bogo explained.

Hal looked back over at the bomb and narrowed his eyes. "I have my bomb kit with me," Hal said. "It's too risky to do it on your own," Bogo said. "We can't afford to wait," Hal pressed. "Hal, the bomb squad-" "Won't get here in time," Hal said.

"Chief. I know what I'm doing. That's why you brought me out here with you. Let me do my job," Hal said. Bogo turned to look at Mrs. Westridge. "If we can't disarm this thing in ten minutes, get everyone out of here and as far away from the building as possible," Bogo said to the hippo. Mrs. Westridge nodded her head in grim understanding.

Hal immediately set to work, opening his bag of supplies and interacting with the bomb's computer system. "Come on, baby. Work with me here," the snow leopard said under his breath as he found a track-ball mouse and used it to access a window in the corner of the screen. Enlarging it, he saw that it had a riddle on it. Gibson and Furrero looked over his shoulder at the screen.

"If you count the numbers on my face, you won't find thirteen anyplace," Furrero spoke out loud as she read the riddle. "The hell does that mean?" Gibson asked her. "Thirteen... numbers... a clock!" Furrero exclaimed. "A clock? Like an old timey one?" Gibson asked her.

Bogo's eyes widened as he looked around the hallway, seeing one such clock adorning the wall nearby. "Well, where's the spot to enter the answer?" Furrero asked as she looked at the screen. "I don't see one. Unless..." Hal muttered as he found the click-buttons, left-clicked, dragged the mouse over, and highlighted a flashing bar.

"They hid the space. Sadistic bastards, aren't they?" Hal said. "How the hell did they do that?" Gibson asked him. "Well, depending on the operating system, if you go into the command line or at least access the properties in the registry, you can change pretty much anything you want," Hal said. "At least, if you know what you're doing," he added.

"Well, put the answer in there!" Furrero urged him. "Okay, okay," Hal said before typing in the answer. Meanwhile, walking over to the clock on the wall, Bogo saw that it was off center. Grabbing the clock, he saw a tiny slip of paper on the backside. Grabbing it, he removed the paper and the tape that had kept it on the back of the clock.

Quickly pulling out his glasses, Bogo read the note to himself. He then turned to face the others. "Don't answer that!" he shouted at them. "What?" Hal asked him. "It's a trick. The real riddle is on this slip of paper," Bogo said as he walked over to the group, holding out the note for them to read.

 **Not so fast. Eternity begins with me. Time ends with me. I begin the end. What am I?**

"Oh, come on! Does fucking with people's heads give this guy a hard-on or something?" Gibson asked in disbelief. "Eternity begins... time ends... the end begins... the hell does that even mean?" Furrero asked herself as she re-read the riddle. "Um... space? An explosion? Darkness?" Hal suggested. The group spent the next three minutes trying to figure out the riddle, before Bogo noticed something as he repeated to to himself.

 **00:06:23**

 **00:06:22**

 **00:06:21**

"Wait a minute," Bogo said under his breath. "End... time... eternity. The letter 'E'," he said in realization. "It's E! The letter 'E'!" Bogo said. "What?" Gibson asked him. "Look at the words! How are they spelled?" Bogo asked them. "Hey, you're right," Furrero said in acknowledgement. "Hal, type 'E' into the answer space," Furrero said. Hal nodded his head and entered the answer.

 **CONGRATULATIONS... ASSHOLES.**

 **COUNTDOWN ABORTED.**

 **PLEASE REMEMBER TO PLAY AGAIN.**

"Not likely," Hal said in relief as he fell back onto the floor and laughed in elation. "We... we did it. With only... six minutes to spare. Holy shit, we spent nine minutes on this? Damn," Hal muttered in surprise.

"Great. Now we wait for the bomb squad to come in an get this thing out of here," Gibson muttered in relief. "What do we do after that?" Furrero asked out loud. "We start searching for Lisker and the Wildes," Bogo said firmly. "We've found and disarmed Simon's bomb. Now, we need to help our friends."

* * *

 **The Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club, Happytown, 05:30 pm...**

Milton Lisker was shaken from his sleep by a rough paw on his shoulder. "Uh-wha?" he asked before he looked around and remembered where he was. "Shit," he muttered as he looked up and saw a large tiger leering down at him. "Is it time for breakfast already?" Lisker asked him sardonically. "It's time," Sherakh said. "Wait, really? We're actually gonna eat something?" Lisker asked him.

"No," Sherakh said, shaking his head. "I meant that it's _time_... to interrogate you," he clarified with a grin. "Oh. Can I still get something to eat?" Lisker asked before Sherakh smacked him in the face. "That... is not going to make me speak to you," Lisker spat. "Don't worry. I have something else in mind for you," Sherakh said before he grabbed Lisker and hoisted him into the air, setting the wolf down on his feet.

"Let's go for a walk," Sherakh said. Lisker looked the tiger up and down. "What are you doing?" Sherakh asked him. "I'm looking for the gun you're gonna shoot me with," Lisker said. "Oh, I'm not going to shoot you. Like I said, I've got something else in mind," Sherakh said with a vicious grin. Lisker raised an eyebrow before the tiger prodded him to move forward and out of the room.

"So, where are Nick and Judy?" Lisker asked. "Don't worry about them," Sherrakh said. "Um, I think I _will_ worry about them. Where are they?" Lisker asked again. "They're around. They're about to be reunited with their children," Sherakh said. "Do I get to watch?" Lisker asked him.

"For a minute. Now, move," Sherakh ordered as he led Lisker down the winding corridors of the back of the building, before eventually leading him to a large warehouse-type room with pipes and crates sitting around, along with tables and benches and communication equipment. Various mercenaries were standing around or sitting n crates. Sitting on the floor were Nick and Judy, both tied up and still blindfolded. "Hey guys," Lisker said, prompting both mammals to turn their heads towards him.

"I know that voice," Nick said with a mix of different and conflicting feelings. "Lisker?" Judy asked. "Uh, yeah. Hey, why are they still blindfolded?" Lisker asked. "The boss wants his entrance to be dramatic for when they finally meet him. _You_ , however, are not that important to him, so he won't care if you see him ahead of time," Sherakh said.

"So... you're going to interrogate me in front of them? Why? They played by your boss's rules, didn't they?" Lisker asked the tiger. "Well, we have to verify your identity, _Lisker_. If that is your real name," Sherakh said. "Trust me, it is. They can both tell you that," Lisker said. "Yes, but I'd rather interrogate you _my way_ , which means that we have to leave the room and go to a secluded area," Sherakh said.

"Secluded? What are you-oh my god. Are you gonna... have your _way_ with me?" Lisker asked in horror. "What!? No!" Sherakh replied, shocked at Lisker's line of thought. "Oh. Thank goodness," Lisker said, sighing in relief. "I'm going to _torture you_ for information," Sherakh said.

"Fuck," Lisker spat. "As an added bonus, your screams should be loud enough that they'll be able to hear them faintly," Sherakh added. "Okay... at least _Benezio_ made sure that he used rooms that were fucking _sound-proof_ ," Lisker muttered. "I mean, aren't you worried that someone else might-wait, where are we, exactly?" Lisker asked.

"Someplace that the police will never think to search," Sherakh replied. "Someplace... we're somewhere in Happytown. Probably a bar or a strip club, maybe a porno theater," Lisker guessed. The surprised look on Sherakh's face told him that he was warm. "So... we're definitely in Happytown," Lisker said.

"Okay, you don't get to watch the family reunion," Sherakh said with a frown as he grabbed Lisker and led him over to a door perpendicular to the one they had walked through. "Wait, we finally get to see our children!?" Judy asked. "Yes, now shut up," Sherakh spat at her before pushing Lisker ahead of him and closing the door behind them.

A few minutes later, the other door opened again. Nick and Judy felt themselves being grabbed and rearranged on the floor so that their backs were facing the doorway. "Okay, what's going on?" Nick asked worriedly. A familiar scent soon hit the air as paw pads walked across the floor, before he heard two soft thuds on the floor in front of him. "Wait... Ben? Vicky!?" Nick and Judy called out before their blindfolds were lifted.

Both parents gasped as they saw their children, lying on the floor with tape around their limbs and muzzles. They both began whining as they tried wiggling around on the floor. "Ben! Vicky!" Nick and Judy both cried out. The two hybrids both looked at their parents with wide eyes and tears as they whined. Soon, however, they looked over Nick and Judy's shoulders, prompting both mammals to turn their heads, before their blindfolds were put back on.

"Oh, come on! What the hell is this!?" Nick asked in frustration. "Patience, Sergeant Wilde. Patience," came a gruff voice from somewhere behind the fox. "Who are you!?" Judy asked.

"Oh, you'll see," the voice said as it drew closer. Nick and Judy both heard the sound of a scaly tail dragging on the floor, soon moving from behind them to their far-left side after the door was closed again. "Take off their blindfolds," the voice ordered. "Wait... _Simon_ ," Judy said with venom in her voice. "Heh. You're sharp," the voice said.

The blindfolds were lifted from the officers, and they both looked over to see an extremely large Komodo Dragon walking past Nick before marching over to their children. The dragon was wearing a tan business suit for reptiles, and he had a smirk on his face. "Hello, Sergeants Wilde," he said to them as he stopped just behind Ben and Victoria.

The dragon then snapped his fingers. "John. Untie the children's mouths," the dragon ordered. Phoenix nodded his head in compliance before moving the tape from Ben and Victoria's mouths. "Where... where is Sherakh?" the lizard asked. "He's with the interloper in the interrogation hall," one of the mercenaries, another tiger, said.

"Has he started yet?" the dragon asked. "I don't hear any screaming, so... probably not," the tiger replied. "Thank you, Mister Fang. John, you may join Sherakh in the interrogation of the interloper. Tell Sherakh to find out what you can and then report back to me. Don't kill him until I say otherwise," the dragon ordered. "Yes, sir," Phoenix said, nodding his head before walking over to the other door and exiting the room.

"Now..." the dragon said as he turned his gaze to Nick and Judy. "I didn't hear either of you say hello back to me," he said. "Screw you," Judy spat. "Um... I would be a bit more polite if I were you. After all... I do have your children less than a foot away from me," the great lizard retorted with a smug grin. "You know who we are, but just who are _you?_ " Nick asked him.

"Me? Well, my dear Sergeants Nicholas Piberius and Judith Lavernne Wilde, I... am _Komo Domo_ ," he said with a shit-eating grin. Nick and Judy's eyes widened considerably. "W-What? I thought that-" "I was in prison? I got released last year on good behavior," Komo said with a snicker.

"H-Hold on. I-I don't understand," Nick said, shaking his head. "What? What don't you seem to understand?" Komo asked him with a sneer. "What about those tigers who took over your mercenaries?" Nick asked him. "I killed their leader and took my forces back," Komo said. "I ate him alive, in fact," Komo added with a grin.

"Then who was Mister Shark?" Judy asked him, keeping her eyes on her children. "The tiger's old second-in-command. He's my third-in-command now. Of course, he knows that if he screws with me, he'll meet the same fate as his old boss. He was there when it happened," Komo replied smarmily. "Well, you certainly know how to make an impression," Nick quipped.

"Thank you. Now, what to do? What to do? I've wait so long for this moment that I... I don't know what to do now. I mean, I know I'm going to kill you, but how, exactly, do I go about doing it?" Komo asked himself. "Wait, why us?" Judy asked him. "Huh?" Komo asked her.

"Why? Why us in particular?" Judy reiterated. "Oh. Well, nearly eleven years ago, you killed my best friend and blood-brother, Arjun Rooter," Komo said with a frown, narrowing his gaze into a glare. "He was to be my successor while I was in prison, and after you killed him, those tigers came in and took over. They amputated my house-keeper, killed my pets, and wiped out half of my forces. Their leader, Tolgeth Sakish, took my house for himself, desecrated it, turned my study into a bedroom for his harem, turned my private bath chamber into his personal fuck room, and converted the habitat for my salt water crocodiles into a swimming pool!" Komo snarled.

"If it weren't for _you_ , none of that would have happened," Komo added darkly. He glared at Judy and Nick, who both glared back at him in return. "Now... how to kill you and your children?" Komo pondered out loud, causing Nick and Judy to panic again. "Don't kill them! Please, don't kill our children!" Judy begged.

"Why not? You know as well, if not better than I do, just how bigoted and prejudiced most of your fellow mammals are out there. Do you really think that your children will have a future without you around? Face it, I'm doing them a favor by killing them alongside you," Komo said with a smirk. "Although, compared to your own deaths, if you say the word then I can guarantee that their deaths will be as quick and painless as possible," Komo said. "I mean, technically, your children didn't do anything to willingly get themselves involved in this. They just, unfortunately, happen to be _yours_ ," Komo added with a chuckle.

"Now, what do I... oh, I've got it! I'll _torture you_ before killing you!" Komo said as inspiration came to him. "So, this is where Maulia got it from," Judy mumbled to herself. "Well, just for _that_ little remark, I'm going to draw this out almost all night. And then, I'm going to eat you both alive... in front of your children, be they dead or alive," Komo said as he looked over at her. Judy's eyes widened. "So... do you want your children killed _before_ or _after_ yourselves?" Komo asked them with a smile.

 **Meanwhile, In The Interrogation Hallway...**

Lisker had been strung up with his tied-together paws being raised over a few metal pipes and bars. His shirt had been removed, leaving only his underwear and pants on. The water from a leaking pipe had been spilling onto him for a while, and both Phoenix and Sherakh had been taking turns beating him for information. "Come on, what did you tell your police buddies before we got to you?" Phoenix asked the wolf.

"I only said that I was following you. How many times do I have to repeat the same thing? You guys blindfolded me before I-" Phoenix hit him in the stomach again. "Wrong answer. What all did you tell your police buddies?" Phoenix asked him again. "I-I already fucking told you!" Lisker spat at him.

"Phoenix, I think we should go with _my_ plan now," Sherakh suggested. "Well, you had your chance to talk willingly, buddy," Phoenix said to Lisker as Sherakh walked away. "You had your chance to listen, asshole! I already told you who I am," Lisker retorted. Phoenix hit him in the stomach again.

"Yeah, a former cop who went rogue, killed a lot of criminals, and then turned on his fellow officers when they objected to his methods. I already heard it from Wilde, Lisker. And, hey, I believe you. However, that isn't what I'm asking you about anymore," Phoenix replied before hitting Lisker again. Soon, Sherakh returned with a cart and a large device on top of it. It resembled a defibrillator with large woolly ear muffs attached to it. "What the hell is _that?_ " Lisker asked the tiger after he saw it.

"Oh, this? It works in a manner similar to a trucker telephone, or a defibrillator on overcharge," Sherakh said with a grin. "A trucker... oh fuck me," Lisker muttered. "Sorry. I prefer females," Sherakh said, prompting Phoenix to chuckle. "Or... "Sherakh trailed off as he pulled what looked like a Yo-Yo out of his pocket.

"You're gonna bludgeon me with that?" Lisker asked him snarkily. "No," Sherakh said before twisting the ends and pulling them apart to reveal a thin wire in between. Lisker's eyes widened as the tiger increased the distance between the two halves of the object, showing the length of the wire. "You wolves make the most interesting noises when strangled," Sherakh said with a smirk.

"Uh, Sherakh, remember that Komo said we aren't supposed to kill him without permission," Phoenix warned. "Who said I was going to kill him?" Sherakh asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Phoenix's brows furrowed in confusion, before his eyes widened in realization. "Oh, now that's just cruel and sadistic," Phoenix said.

Sherakh chuckled before turning his attention back to Lisker. "So, which will it be? Continuous choking or shock therapy?" Sherakh asked with a smile. Lisker said nothing as he gulped at the realization of just how cruel his captors truly were. "Well, I think we'll go with the wire first," Sherakh said, before moving forward and looping the wire around Lisker's throat, pulling it tight for several seconds.

Lisker gagged and gasped for air before Sherakh let the wire loose. After Lisker had caught his breath again, Sherakh tightened the wire once more, repeating the process again and again, letting up only before Lisker reached the point of passing out. "Are you ready to talk now?" Sherakh asked the wolf. "He's barely awake by this point," Phoenix said as he saw Lisker struggling to stay conscious.

"So it seems. I think we need to wake him up," Sherakh said with a smile before he removed the wire from Lisker's neck and throat, pocketing the wire back into his pocket. He walked over and retrieved two tear-resistant rubber gloves before sliding them on and grabbing the shock device. "I'd start talking if I were you," Phoenix said to Lisker. "F-Fuck you," Lisker spat tiredly.

"I think he needs to be more alert. Hit him," Phoenix said. "Absolutely," Sherakh replied with a grin as he rubbed the sponge-like muffs together before applying them to Lisker's chest. The electricity ran through the wolf in an instant. "G-Gyaaahhhh!" Lisker screamed in agony.

"Ha-ha! Hit him again!" Phoenix said with a laugh. "Feel like talking now!?" Sherakh asked with a smile as he applied the electrodes to Lisker's sides. The wolf howled and screamed as he swayed back and forth, before he pushed his feet back in an attempt to raise his body to avoid another hit from the electrodes, subtly moving his tied up paws forward and closer to the edge of the pipe above him.

"Talk!" Sherakh implored as he hit Lisker with another dose of shock. "B-B-Braaaaaaaa-aaaaaaaauuuugghhghgcckck!" Lisker blurted out in sheer pain. His body swayed to the side and Phoenix pushed him away, inadvertently getting a dose of electricity through his paws as he did so. "Ah! Damn!" Phoenix hissed at the contact.

"I-I'm gonna fucking kill the both of you!" Lisker roared before Sherakh hit him with another dose of shock treatment. "Reeaaaauughhhh!" Lisker howled in pain and agony. "Sure you will," Sherakh said with a chuckle as he continued the assault.

 **Back In The Main Room...**

Nick, Judy, Ben, and Victoria listened uncomfortably as Lisker's very faint howls and screams of agony were heard through the walls. "Hmm... you all seem distracted by something," Komo said with a smirk as he showed his teeth. "Poor mammals. Even your superior hearing is something I can use against you," Komo said with a chuckle.

Komo then turned his attention to the cuts on Nick and Judy's arms and shoulders. Deciding that the wounds had been open long enough, Komo motioned for a tiger to grab something off the floor. The tiger walked over and handed the bag of salt to Komo. "Thank you, Mister Fang," Komo said to the tiger, before turning his attention to Ben and Victoria. "Now, children, I want you to pay very close attention to what I'm about to do to your parents. I'm going to traumatize you for the rest of the your lives... all six hours," Komo said with a grin before returning his attention to Nick and Judy as he raised the bag up.

Nick and Judy both widened their eyes as they realized what Komo was preparing to do. "Tell me, when you encountered my previous subordinates, did they ever do something like this to you?" Komo asked as he walked over to Nick and Judy, reaching into the bag and procuring a handful of salt in his scaly hand. "S-Sylvester did," Nick said. "Yes, Sylvester. I miss him. Despite being related to Maulia, he was a voice of reason when things got chaotic. This is for him, then," Komo said before applying the salt to Judy's left shoulder.

The bunny screamed in agony as the salt was rubbed into her bleeding shoulder. "Ah! Aahh!" she cried. "S-Stop! Stop it!" Nick barked at Komo. The dragon turned his head and smiled at the fox. "Don't worry, you'll get your turn," Komo said as Judy sobbed in pain.

He then let go of the rabbit's shoulder before turning his attention to Nick. "Please, Mr. Komo, stop!" Victoria cried out. "Shut up, brat," Komo said to the hybrid. "Please, just let us go! I wanna go home! I wanna go home with Mommy and Daddy! Please, just let us go!" Ben cried out.

"Oh, for the love of Squamas, will you little runts just shut the fuck up?" Komo asked in annoyance as he turned to glare and hiss at the two children. Victoria and Ben both began trembling, and Komo soon noticed a wet spot on the floor between Ben's legs. "Oh, that's just _sad_ ," he said as he heard the male hybrid whimpering in both fear and humiliation.

"Mister Crest! Get something to clean that up. Bring out some duct tape as well," Komo said to a nearby wolf. The wolf nodded his head before walking over to the door to the back storage rooms and entering the hallway. He soon came back and began cleaning up the spot on the floor after handing the duct tape to Komo. Meanwhile, Victoria had begun to slowly rub her tied up arms against the crate behind her, until she realized that the wood wouldn't cut through the tape.

"Now, back to business," Komo said before he grabbed more salt and applied it to Nick's shoulder, causing the fox to yip and yell in pain. "Aahh!" Nick cried out. "That's better. Let it all out," Komo said in a faux-soothing fashion as he pressed the salt deeper into the wound.

Soon, the other door to the room opened and Sherakh and Phoenix stepped inside. Komo stopped what he was doing and stood up to look at them. "Well? What did you learn?" he asked the them. "Same shit the Wildes told us, although with a few more details. His name is Milton Lisker. He's a former Lieutenant of the Zootopia Police Department, and he went rogue, formed a ring of zealous cops, murdered dozens of criminals, and then turned on his law-abiding fellow officers when they discovered his actions and objected to them. Yes, he _did_ frame Mister Wilde here for assault and murder," Phoenix said with a grin.

"Oh, I bet hearing him scream must have just _filled_ you with pleasure," Komo said as he looked at the fox. "Go spit," Nick spat at him. "Oh? You don't feel satisfaction knowing that the very animal who almost ruined your life was being tortured? My, what a strange fellow you are," Komo said curiously.

"Well... anything else?" Komo asked Phoenix and Sherakh. "Nothing. He hid in the car when the Wildes got out, told the police that he was following us, and that's it. He never got the chance to tell them our location, since Mister Eyes and the others caught him before they entered Happytown," Phoenix relayed.

Komo nodded his head in understanding. "Very well. Sherakh, put the poor bastard out of his misery. I doubt there's anything else he could tell us that would be useful," Komo said. Sherakh grinned in satisfaction. "With pleasure," the tiger said before marching back into the hallway, closing the door behind him. "Phoenix, since we could faintly hear Mister Lisker's screams, I want you to go out into the club and check for any signs of disturbance. Make sure that no one has noticed anything," Komo said.

"Affirmative," Phoenix said with a nod before heading down the one door-free hallway and disappearing. Looking back over at Judy and Nick, both of whom were trying to catch their breath, Komo smiled before picking up the roll of duct tape. "Okay, time for round two," he said jovially. Nick and Judy both looked up at him with wide eyes, and Ben and Victoria both started whimpering again.

"Don't worry, we have _all night_ to do this," Komo said as he moved forward. "If it's any consolation, this is going to hurt you _a lot more_ than it's going to hurt me," the dragon added with a chuckle before applying the tape to Judy's head and then ripping it off violently. "Aah!" Judy cried out as the tape was removed. "I think you need a hair cut, but I don't have any scissors. This will have to do," Komo said before repeating the process again and again.

"Stop it! Just stop!" Nick shouted at him. "I will... once I'm satisfied that she's suffered. Don't worry, I'll get to you eventually," Komo said nonchalantly as he continued torturing Judy. "Say," he said as he paused, "Does anyone have some polka music on them?" Even the other mercenaries in the room seemed put off by Komo's idea. "Pfft, bunch of whimps," Komo muttered as he resumed his task before grabbing a new stretch of tape and moving on to Nick.

 **Meanwhile In The Interrogation Hallway...**

Lisker made one last tug at the tape around his wrists before pulling it off with a hiss. He quickly landed on his feet, nearly falling over. "Damn," he whispered. He soon heard foot steps approaching in the distance. Quickly stuffing the tape into his mouth, Lisker jumped up and grabbed his paws together, holding them above the pipe. He tried his best to not let the strain show on his face. _It's a damn good thing I made an effort to stay in shape all these years_ , Lisker thought to himself before he lowered his head and began faking exhaustion and fatigue.

Lisker kept his eye lids lowered as he watched Sherakh enter the hallway, quietly singing to himself. "- _bear necessities. The simple_ -oh, hello, Lisker. Still worn out, are we?" Sherakh asked him with a chuckle. "Well, don't worry. I'll put an end to that soon enough. Komo has given me the order to put you out of your misery. You know, if I thought there was even a slight chance of persuading you to join us, I would have tried to convince Komo of it," Sherakh said as he turned on the modified defibrillation device.

"Oh well. I've seen your type, though. You became what you fought, and then you felt _bad_ about it. Animals who feel bad over doing that just aren't cut out for our line of work, unfortunately," Sherakh said as he grabbed the rubber gloves and slipped them on. "Although... I suppose I could have just a little bit of fun before I end it all for you," Sherakh said.

 _Just shut the fuck up already_ , Lisker thought to himself in annoyance as the tiger prattled on before he pulled the cart closer. "I know. I'll give you one last does of the wire, and then I'll finish you off with the electricity. This time, I'll take you straight to the edge of unconsciousness, and then, when you start breathing again in relief, I'll stick those electrodes right to your head and ZAPP! A much nicer ending than what I gave that poor bitch last week," Sherakh said with a chuckle.

Sherakh took off the gloves and placed them on the table before taking his wire out of his pocket and walking over to stand in front of Lisker. "Any last words?" Sherakh asked the seemingly exhausted wolf. "Yeah," Lisker said "tiredly." "Let's hear them," Sherakh said.

"Make my day," Lisker said with a smirk, before lifting his head up. He brought his legs up and then kicked at Sherakh's chest, pushing the tiger back against the wall, causing him to drop the wire. Lisker quickly dropped down and spat the tape out of his mouth. "You, son of a bitch!" Sherakh growled as Lisker grabbed the wire and leapt up onto the pipes, swinging down as Sherakh got back up and then knocking him onto the floor again, this time on his front.

Lisker quickly rushed over as Sherakh got up, latching onto his back and taking out the wire, looping it around the tiger's throat before pulling hard. Sherakh gasped in shock before he stood at full height and slammed himself back against the wall, pinning Lisker between it and himself in his attempts to dislodge the wolf as he repeatedly slammed back against the wall. Lisker simply pulled the wire even tighter in retaliation, quickly cutting off the tiger's air flow.

" _Just shut up and die, you fuck!_ " Lisker snarled at the larger predator. Sherakh reached a paw back and scratched at Lisker's face. Lisker, for his effort, merely tilted his head back and pulled harder on the wire as Sherakh struggled even harder. "Been a while since... I killed someone... with my own paws," Lisker grunted, just loud enough for Sherakh to hear him.

Sherakh began desperately clawing at the air and behind his head in an attempt to loosen the wires. Lisker hissed as one of the tiger's paws cut his face and drew blood, but he kept his grip on the wire, even after Sherakh's body grew weaker. "Sweet dreams, asshole," Lisker hissed into the tiger's ear. Sherakh gagged for air desperately, with his eyes wide in fear at the horrifying realization of his fate, and his tongue hanging out.

Soon, the tiger stopped struggling and became limp. Lisker held the wire tightly for another minute, just to be safe, before letting it loose as the tiger fell to his knees and slumped onto the floor. Lisker quickly checked for a pulse, smiling when he found none. He then quickly rifled through Sherakh's suit for a weapon before looking over at one of the pipes and shafts nearby, where his shirt had been discarded.

The wolf quickly grabbed his shirt and put it back on before resuming his search for a weapon. He quickly found a blue-colored Walrus PPK in a holster, along with a sound-suppressor in one of the tiger's back pockets. "It'll have to do," Lisker said to himself before he shuffled the tiger's body around as he removed the holster and the gun. He quickly put the holster on himself and adjusted it for his size before re-holstering the gun and standing up. He then noticed a knife in the tiger's inner pocket and pulled it out. "Huh. Figured you for the kind of guy who likes to use his own claws," Lisker said to the corpse before pocketing the knife.

 _Okay, the room holding the Wildes has probably got half a dozen armed mercenaries in there, at minimum. If I just barge in on my own, I could take out one or two of them before they get me. If I'm gonna pull this off, I'm gonna need something to distract them. But what?_ Lisker looked over at the cart with the electrical torture device on it. He then turned his attention back to Sherakh's body on the ground, before looking over at the cart again. An idea quickly formed in his head.

"That should work," Lisker said to himself.

 **Back With The Wildes...**

"Now, for the right shoulder," Komo said as he pulled away from Judy. The sobbing bunny was panting and gasping for breath as she tried to put the pain to the back of her mind. Komo had once again begun applying salt to their shoulder wounds after he was finished using the duct tape on their fur. "What's wrong, Judith? I would think that after everything you've been through, you'd be _accustomed_ to torture by this point," Komo said with a snicker.

"What is _wrong_ with you!?" Nick snapped at the lizard. "I thought I already explained that," Komo said with a frown. "But if I must go over it again, why not? You destroyed my empire and killed my friends. You killed off my _family_ , and so, I am going to destroy yours. Now, is that really so difficult to understand?" Komo asked the fox. Nick made no reply.

"That's what I thought," Komo said before he turned to look at Ben and Victoria. "Would you both like to watch as I put new wounds on your mommy and daddy? The old ones are starting to heal, and I do need to get them cleaned up so that they don't get infected before I eat them later," Komo said to them with a snicker. The two hybrids merely sniffled. "Y-You..." Victoria started, before she found herself stuttering in fright as Komo slowly walked over to her.

"I... what, exactly?" Komo asked the frightened hybrid. "That's right. Nothing. You have _nothing_ to say, and there is nothing that any of you can do at this point," Komo said as he walked over near the door to the "interrogation" hallway before tunring to face all four of the Wildes with a smug grin. "There's nothing that anyone can do for you. You're all _fucked_. No one is going to help you. There aren't anymore heroes left in this world, and _no one_ is going to save you," Komo said with a sneer.

Ten seconds later, the door burst open, catching Komo off-guard as a large cart was pushed through it, carrying the body of Khali Sherakh. The cart rammed into Komo and knocked him over, with the added weight of Sherakh's body helping to push Komo onto the floor as the cart tipped over and the tiger's body fell onto Komo's. "Gaah!" Komo exclaimed as he looked up at Sherakh's corpse with surprise before he heard the gunfire.

Lisker used what little time he had to catch the mercenaries off-guard, rushing over to the nearest one, a golden jackal, grabbing his head and breaking his neck before using the jackal's body as a shield as he traded fire with a leopard. The leopard went down after three shots entered his chest.

Lisker used the jackal's corpse as a shield further as he held it in front of him while running over to the other side of the room as a coyote opened fire at him. When he was close enough, he threw the body at the coyote and rushed over behind him as a tiger aimed his SMG at him, with the coyote being caught between them. "No, wait!" Mr. Claw cried out as he noticed where the tiger was aiming. Mr. Fang opened fire at Lisker, who had just ducked behind the coyote.

Mr. Claw fell back against Lisker as Mr. Fang ceased firing. "Tom!" Fang exclaimed in regret and surprise. Lisker used Claw's body as cover while he aimed and fired at Mr. Fang, who had just raised his gun again to fire after seeing Lisker's head. The tiger fell back as Lisker sent one round straight into his head, before the wolf emptied the Walrus PPK into the coyote's body. He then dumped the gun and grabbed the coyote's own SMG and Bearretta sidearm, retrieving two spare magazines for both weapons.

"L-Lisker?" Nick asked as the wolf hurried over to him and Judy. The wolf pulled out a knife and quickly began cutting the tape off of their wrists. "Hey, Wilde. how's it goin', eh?" Lisker asked him before moving onto Judy's bonds. Lisker then quickly rushed over to grab Ben and Victoria before bringing them back over to Nick and Judy's side. "Okay, this is too big for you, Judy, but I think Nick here can hold the SMG, right? Have you guys ever used these before?" Lisker asked Nick.

"Y-Yeah. Nearly ten years ago," Nick said. "Sounds like everything important took place ten or so years ago, huh?" Lisker asked as he cut the tape off of Ben and Vicky's wrists and legs. "Okay, so, you know how to use this then, right?" Lisker asked Nick as he held the SMG out to him. "Yes. Yes, I know how to use it," Nick said as he took the weapon and the spare ammo magazines.

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here," Lisker said as he ushered the family across the room and through the narrow hallway. Meanwhile, Komo was struggling to get Sherakh's body off of himself, as the tiger's suit was caught under the tipped-over cart, and one of Komo's claws had gotten caught in the cuff of the tiger's suit. Komo eventually just used his mouth to rip the suit apart before rolling onto his stomach and standing up. He looked down the hallway where the Wildes and Lisker had disappeared, a vicious and angry snarl adorning his face.

Meanwhile, down the hallway, Lisker quietly led the others into a backstage room, hearing the loud music out in the main area playing. "Okay, there should still be a few mercs hangin' around out there, so keep your wits about you," Lisker said as he listened to the beat of the music before stepping out into the crowded area with bar and club patrons, as the dark lighting allowed them to move stealthily without too much effort.

Looking over at the bar, Lisker saw the dingo talking to a side-striped jackal bar tender. Keeping quiet, Lisker motioned for the Wildes to duck as they made their way past the bar, with Lisker then ducking himself as the dingo turned around before stopping in his tracks and sniffing the air. Phoenix quickly made his way over to the door and disappeared down into the hallway.

"That was close," Nick whispered. "He'll be back soon enough. He probably just didn't have a weapon when he sniffed us. Let's keep moving," Lisker said quietly as they rounded the corner of the bar. Just a few seconds later, a mercenary, a coyote wearing a suit, noticed them and shouted. Lisker quickly rushed over and grabbed the coyote before pulling him close and firing his gun into the mercenary's chest, letting the corpse drop before ushering for the Wildes to keep moving.

* * *

"Komo!" Phoenix cried out as he ran over to his boss, seeing the blood on his shirt and pants. "It's not mine," Komo said. Phoenix looked down at the body on the floor behind Komo. "Is that... Sherakh?" Phoenix asked as he stepped over to inspect the corpse. "Yes. It would seem that _Former Lieutenant Lisker_ is more dangerous than we anticipated," Komo said.

"Damn. _I_ was hoping to be the one to kill Sherkah," Phoenix said in disappointment. "You can still kill Lisker, if you'd like, so long as I don't get to him first. _But_ , the Wildes are _mine_ ," Komo replied firmly. "What do we do?" Phoenix asked after a minute.

"Get whatever drugs and money we have lying around here and pack them into a van. Grab anyone who's still back here and make your way to the docks. You know which ones. John... if I don't make it to the docks by midnight, leave without me," Komo said. "Wait, where are you going?" Phoenix asked the dragon. Komo walked over to a crate and opened it before picking up an SMG and spare ammunition, along with a small flare gun.

"I'm going hunting, John. I am a predator, and they are my prey. I am a dragon, and that wolf has stolen my treasure. My revenge. I must get it back at any cost. Even my own life," Komo said with a hint of derangement in his voice.

Phoenix, knowing that his boss was nearing the breaking point, simply nodded his head in agreement. "If I can kill them and get away, I'll meet you at the docks at midnight and I'll go into hiding and finally become a fisherman for the rest of my life. If not... then it's been nice knowing you," Komo said before loading his weapons and marching down the hallway.

"Take care of yourself, John," Komo added one last time without looking back. "You too, buddy," Phoenix said with a nod before following his orders silently. The two killers quietly parted ways for the last time.

* * *

The music kept playing loudly as the various patrons either watched the enticing strippers on the stage or were too busy getting drunk to care about anything else. The beat of the music and the mood of the lights intended for all inside to have a good time, but right now, the Wildes and Lisker have having anything _but_ a good time. Judy herself was trying to keep her children's ears and eyes covered as they made their way through a crowd of animals who were split between watching the female mammals on the stage removing their clothes and drinking.

" _ **Do you think I'm a nasty girl?**_ "

"I remember this one when it came out," Lisker said to himself as he led the Wildes through the crowd of patrons, most of whom were staring hungrily up at three nude deer and impala dancing on the stage. As they walked closer to the stage, Lisker and Nick saw an exit door and hall in the distance, with the EXIT sign on top. Lisker smirked at their luck so far.

"Alright, the exit's over there. We're almost-" "There they are! Get 'em!" a voice shouted through the music. "Shit!" Lisker hissed as he turned around, seeing a jackal and a puma making their way over to them with their guns raised. "No choice," Lisker muttered as he raised his gun and fired at the ceiling. "Everybody _DOWN!_ " Lisker shouted before he and Nick opened fire at the two approaching mercenaries, just before another one, a cheetah, ran out from behind the stage near the strippers, causing the nude females to cry out in surprise and fear.

"Above us!" Nick shouted as the cheetah ran over and opened fire at them. Lisker quickly dove in front of Judy and the children to cover them as Nick opened fire and took the mercenary down. The strippers ran over behind the stage before the crowd began panicking and screaming as the two groups waged battled against each other in the club. Another mercenary, a hyena, rushed out from near the bar and opened fire at them, with Lisker grabbing a table and turning it over as cover for them before Nick ducked down behind it, rising up after a minute and firing at the hyena, who quickly went down.

"Don't these guys have any body armor?" Lisker asked incredulously. "I mean, seriously. They're dropping like flies here," he added. "Well, I guess we took out the _really_ dangerous ones back on the Vera Alus," Nick said as he reloaded his weapon. "And here I was just beginning to miss the tranquility of prison life," Lisker joked.

"Judy, are you and the children okay?" Nick asked with concern as he looked over at his wife, who was holding the children tightly to her in a huddle. "Y-Yeah. We're okay," she said. "I wish I had something small for you, but everything here is medium to large size," Lisker said to the bunny. "If they didn't have guns, I'd use my close quarters combat training on them," Judy said.

"When was the last time you had to use it?" Lisker asked, just before he heard fast-paced foot steps approaching their position. He looked up in time to see another hyena looming overhead, aiming a gun at them. "Bye bye!" the hyena exclaimed, just before Lisker fired at him

Judy huddled her children close to her as she ushered them closer to the exit. "Keep your heads down," Judy whispered to Ben and Victoria as she covered their ears. "Keep moving," Lisker said as he urged the group to move out from behind the table and towards the exit.

"You guys... have your badges and IDs still on you, right?" Lisker asked Nick and Judy as they made their way through the frightened crowd. "Yeah," Judy replied as she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out her badge and ID. "Nick? What about you?" Lisker asked.

"Yeah," Nick replied before doing the same. "Alright, let's-get down!" Lisker shouted as he saw a wolf mercenary enter the doors of the club and raise a weapon. Lisker quickly opened fire at the wolf, causing him to drop his weapon to the floor before falling himself. "You sure that these guys are trained professionals?" Lisker asked skeptically. "Not the ones we've been facing so far. I beginning to think a lot of these guys are just locals that were recruited," Nick said as the group moved closer to the exit.

"Too many Pangeosian natives to be from Reptaelia," Nick said as they neared the exit, just before a near-deafening roar split through the air of the club. " _ **WILDE! LISKER!**_ " Lisker ushered the Wildes to keep moving through the exit hall. "Don't stop!" he yelled out before turning around and grabbing the fallen wolf's SMG for himself.

Lisker looked over into the crowd and saw Komo barging through, holding a vest and an SMG of his own as he roughly pushed everyone aside. "You're dead, wolf! You're fucking dead!" Komo roared as he opened fire at the wolf. "Shit!" Lisker hissed as he ran for cover, diving behind a table as the bullets tore through the air and a few patrons.

Lisker quickly checked his Bearretta before bringing it out and holding it over the table and firing at Komo. Komo allowed his vest to bear the impact before he opened fire again, forcing Lisker to get up and run as the lizard fire at him, tearing up glasses, plates, chairs, and tables with his gun fire.

A few rounds managed to hit the wolf as he dove for cover behind a booth. Lisker quickly pulled himself up against the back of the booth and hissed in pain before putting his paws over the wound, pulling them back after feeling the warm and sticky blood covering them. "Oh shit," Lisker muttered. "Sorry, Swinton. You're gonna have to keep order on your own from now on," Lisker said quietly before he gripped his SMG and rose above the booth, firing at Komo when he back was turned.

The dragon roared before turning around and grabbing a chair next to him, raising it and throwing it over at the booth. Lisker quickly ducked, sucking in a breath with a pained expression before crawling over to another booth to hide behind, just as Komo tore up the previous booth with gun fire. "Come on out, Lisker!" Komo taunted.

Lisker raised his head just above the ridge of the booth, his eyes widening as he saw Komo pull a grenade out of his vest. "I wonder if this is a smoke or fragmentation grenade? Only one way to find out," Komo said before putting ear plugs in and pulling the pin before tossing the object through the air. Lisker swore and he ran across the room, with Komo following him and firing with his gun before the grenade landed behind another booth.

Two seconds later, it exploded, rocking the furniture and the patrons who were still panicking inside the club. Watching as Lisker made his way through the crowd to flank him, Komo feigned ignorance until the wolf was close enough. He then whipped at the wolf with his tail, hitting him in the stomach and sending the mammal flying through the air and crashing into a patron.

"Never underestimate a reptile's tail," Komo said with a smirk as he turned around and began walking over to the fallen wolf and the zebra he had crashed into. Lisker looked up and rolled onto his stomach before getting up as Komo walked over and grabbed him by the shoulders, turning Lisker around to face him. "Hi gorgeous," Lisker snarked.

"Hi, ugly," Komo said before snapping his jaws forward and clamping them down on Lisker's left shoulder. "Gaack!" Lisker cried out in pain as Komo began injecting him with a small amount of venom, not that he was aware of the fact that Komodo Dragons actually produced venom. Komo soon pulled away, his maw bloodied.

"The kiss of the dragon, reserved only for those who have truly, truly pissed me off beyond the point of forgiveness," Komo said. "You need to work on your tongue," Lisker said sardonically before raising his legs and kicking at Komo's chest. The lizard loosened his grip on the wolf and threw him to the floor, where he could grab his weapons and scurry away into the crowd of patrons who were still paralyzed with fear and dumbstruck by the chaos around them.

Before Lisker was able to make it all the way, Komo rushed over and made a 180 degree turn, swinging his tail at Lisker and sending the wolf flying over near a booth. Lisker whined in pain as his injuries began to catch up with him. "D-Dammit," Lisker hissed as he held his stomach, the force of Komo's tail having broken at least two or three ribs.

The wolf quickly crawled over behind the booth and began wheezing in pain as he tried to stay alert. "I-I'm gonna die. I'm... I'm sorry, Dawn. I can't protect you from the others anymore," Lisker said. "And I'm sorry, Jasmine. I won't be able to help you keep order in the prison anymore. And I'm sorry Benezio... for getting you involved in my plans to begin with. Oh, fuck, I'm gonan die tonight. There's no way around it," Lisker said deliriously as the pain began to overwhelm him. The sound of Komo laughing and several patrons crying allowed him to focus and push the pain to the back of his mind for the moment.

"I'm gonna eat you alive," Komo threatened as he pushed more patrons out of his way. Lisker quickly checked his SMG before getting up with a hiss of pain and rising over the ridge of the booth seat to aim his gun at Komo. He opened fire at the dragon, who quickly leaned over and grabbed a small table from the floor, picking it up to use as a shield. "Shit," Lisker muttered before ducking down behind the booth again.

He quickly looked up after hearing heavy breathing, seeing Komo holding the table above him. "I probably should have asked this first, but... do you come here often?" Lisker asked him before raising his SMG, just as Komo dropped the table down on him. "Aah!" Lisker cried out as the weight of the table pushed down on him, knocking his gun out of his paw as he gasped in pain.

"When I'm done with the Wildes... it'll be your turn," Komo muttered before turning around and marching over to the door, reloading his SMG in the process. Lisker wheezed in an out as he felt pain spread throughout his entire body. "N-No. Come on, Milt. Gotta... gotta get up," Lisker said to himself tiredly as he slowly pushed the table off of his body.

* * *

 **Outside The Club...**

The Wildes quickly ran through the crowds on the sidewalk, stirring up a commotion whenever someone saw Nick's gun or the hybrid children. "Come on, we gotta find someone, _anyone_ who can help us," Nick said frantically. He soon saw a police cruiser driving down in their direction. Nick frantically waved his paw in the air, causing the cruiser to come to a halt next to the sidewalk as two officers pulled out their tranquilizer guns and aimed them at him. "What the-oh shit," Nick muttered as he remembered that the SMG was still in his paws.

He quickly put the weapon down and held his paws up. "It's not what it looks like! We're cops!" Nick cried out as the two officers, a leopard and a ram, approached him. "Get down on the ground!" the ram shouted. "No, you don't understand! I'm a cop!" Nick cried out. "We're both cops! I'm Judy Wilde!" Judy cried out as she pulled out her badge and ID, showing them to the officers before taking out Nick's badge and ID.

"See?" she asked as she held the objects in front of the two. "Frank, get on the horn with Captain Hemsfield or Chief Bogo. Ask him what two Precinct One officers are doing in our jurisdiction," the leopard said to the ram. The ram, known as Frank, nodded his head and retreated back into the cruiser.

A minute later, there were cries of fear and surprise on the sidewalk, causing everyone to turn their heads and see Komo running towards them. "Wilde! Wilde!" Komo roared as he held up his SMG and opened fire. Nick and Judy ducked, grabbing Ben and Vicky before rushing over to the side of the police cruiser.

"Shit!" the two officers cried out as the rampaging Komodo Dragon made his way over to them, knocking everyone to the side. The leopard officer drew his tranquilizer gun and aimed it at the approaching dragon before firing it. The dart bounced off of Komo's scaly hide as he continued approaching them with frightening speed. "This is Sergeant Frank Calhoun on Bernant Street, Happytown! We have a rampaging lizard with a gun! Requesting back up now!" Frank cried into the radio.

" _Ten-Four, Calhoun. Just stay where you are,_ " the dispatcher said. Calhoun looked up just as Komo picked up and threw his partner at the windshield of the cruiser. The leopard's body slammed into the windshield with a thud before sliding off. "My back," the leopard whined in pain as he fell to the ground. Cars driving past the area began slowing down to see the commotion as the lizard snarled at the ram.

"Jesus Christ!" Frank cried out before raising his own weapon, prompting Komo to draw his SMG and open fire at him. Frank fell back with a cry of pain onto the road. "Wilde! Nicholas! Judith! Where are you!? I want my revenge!" Komo roared angrily. The dragon soon lost his patience and turned around to slam the side of the cruiser with his tail, causing the vehicle to shudder as the impact created a sound like a thunderbolt.

Hearing cries and whimpers, Komo looked over to see the Wilde family making their way across the street. The dragon narrowed his eyelids and hissed before taking off after them, rushing over across the street while firing a burst from his weapon, hitting bystanders and causing chaos in the streets. The Wildes kept running, as Nick had left his SMG lying on the ground near the police cruiser.

"We gotta keep moving!" Nick exclaimed as he, Judy, Ben, and Victoria ran across the street and onto the sidewalk. "My legs hurt!" Ben cried. "We can't stop!" Nick said as he leaned over and picked up Ben, holding him as they ran through the evening crowds. Komo was hot on their trail, and he refused to give up.

* * *

Author's Notes: And that's the eleventh chapter of the story. The next chapter will tie everything up with our main characters, so we'll have a resolution chapter that's actually longer than prior ones. Huzzah.

Yes, these final portions of the story are heavily influenced by _Lethal Weapon_ and _Die Hard_ , but I honestly think that it works best this way, as this story is a much more intimate and personal story for our main characters than the previous ones, and the first and third Die Hard movies were pretty personal ones, and so was the first Lethal Weapon movie. After all, this series is my own personal tribute to those franchises, especially _Lethal Weapon_.

Also, I had to re-write this chapter a few times, especially the battle between Lisker and Komo. My first battle with them took place back in the torture room, but I thought that it happened too early. The second battle took place out in the club, but it was extremely short. You guys deserve a better fight between the two most important villains in the Reckless Endengerment series. So, I wrote the fight a third time, and that is what you get here.

So, I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter, and as always, please let me know what you think of the chapter in your reviews. I'd really like to know what everyone thinks of Komo by this point, as well as what people think of the interactions between Lisker and the mercenaries.


	13. Final Confrontation & Resolution

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is Property of Disney.

The main action portion of this chapter was written while listening to the soundtracks for the _Lethal Weapon_ films, _Komodo_ (1999), primarily _We're Leaving_ , _General's Car_ , _S.O.B. Knows Where I Live_ , and _S.O.B. Knows Where I Live (Orchestra Only Alternate Track)_ from the _Lethal Weapon_ (1987) expanded soundtrack by the late Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton, _Cemetery_ from _Lethal Weapon 4_ (1998), also by the late Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton and the still-living David Sanborn, _Finale_ from _Mr. Holland's Opus_ (1998) by Michael Kamen, and _Oates Comes Through_ and _Never Better_ from the _Komodo_ (1999) soundtrack by John Debney.

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Final Confrontation / Resolution**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, July 17th, 2030

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One, Savanna Central**

Chief Martin Bogo listened intently as Cynthia Furrero spoke to him over the phone. " _The van is intact, but we have no clue where Lisker was taken. The main road here breaks off into a fork not too far down,_ " Cynthia said. "Okay, and which way does each fork go?" Bogo asked her.

" _The main one goes straight into Savanna Central, while the other one heads into Happytown,_ " Furrero replied. Bogo furrowed his brows in contemplation. "Take... the one to Happytown. Wait for someone to arrive to seal off the van and keep it safe. I want you to check out that club you investigated last week. See if there might be some kind of lead," Bogo said.

" _We're on it,_ " Furrero said before hanging up. A minute later, Bogo's desk phone rang and he picked it up. "Chief Bogo speaking. Hello, Hemsfield, what's the-wait... Hemsfield, slow down," Bogo said. "I can't understand what you're... I'll send backup immediately," Bogo said before hanging up and calling back Furrero on his cell phone.

"Furrero, get your tail to the red light district in Happytown. The Wildes were just reported being seen outside of the Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club," Bogo said. " _We're on our way. Hit the gas, Gibson!_ " Furrero said before hanging up the phone.

* * *

 **The Dripping Cavern Bar & Strip Club, Happytown...**

Milton Lisker slowly and painfully stepped outside of the front doors, leaning against the walls as he made his way down the sidewalk, gripping an SMG in one bloodied paw and a Bearretta in the other as he followed the sounds of gunfire down the road. "H-Hold on, guys. I... I'm coming," Lisker wheezed painfully. He soon saw a dark alley nearby and made his way over, noticing that there was a sign next to the corner of the building displaying the route for delivery vehicles and employee transportation.

"Wait... the dingo. Phoenix. Where... are you?" Lisker asked as he rounded the corner of the building and looked down the alley, where a garage door in front of a large parking area was slowly opening, revealing a black van inside. "Speak of the devil," Lisker said tiredly. He was losing a lot of blood, as Komodo Dragon blood contained an anti-coagulant, and he knew that his time was short.

Inside the van, John Phoenix buckled his seat belt after checking to make sure that the van's supplies were secured, along with a suitcase that he assumed was full of money on the back floor. "Okay, let's get to the docks," Phoenix said to himself, remembering Komo's last orders to him before he had left to pursue the Wildes. Looking up ahead, he saw Lisker standing in the alley, staring at him tiredly.

"You've got spirit, bud. I'll give you that. But, Sherakh was _mine_ to kill. Not yours," Phoenix muttered darkly before he started the engine. "Let's dance," Phoenix muttered under his breath as he slowly backed up the van before putting the vehicle in drive and shooting forward.

"No. No way you live," Lisker said darkly before dropping his SMG and raising his Bearretta to aim at the van. Lisker fired at the windshield twice, before shooting at the front tires of the van, hitting one of them just seconds before Phoenix hit him with the bumper and sent the wolf sprawling onto the ground next to the sidewalk, howling in pain. The shot tire and damaged windshield, however were causing Phoenix to lose control of the vehicle as he made a sharp left turn onto the road. A large giraffe's car slammed into the van and sent into tumbling over on the road, flipping itself several times before landing on its roof.

Lisker painfully crawled over to the sidewalk and pulled himself into a sitting position against the brick wall. His breathing was becoming labored and shallow. He tiredly dragged the Bearretta into his lap and checked the magazine. He then rested his head back against the wall as he watched the scene before him.

Phoenix winced as he looked around the inside of the van, noticing a briefcase that had fallen to the floor. "Just gotta... get loose," Phoenix said to himself before he unbuckled his seat belt and fell forward, his left leg getting caught under the seat. "Ah, shit!" he growled in pain. He hit the window button on the side of the door next to him and lowered the windows so that he could try to get out. Looking around, he saw a briefcase sitting on the ground.

Phoenix grabbed the briefcase and dragged it towards himself before unlatching it, hoping that he could at least use the money inside to bribe someone into helping him. "Where's the money?" Phoenix asked after opening it. His eyes widened as he realized what was actually inside the briefcase.

 **I AM A BOMB.**

 **YOU HAVE NOW ARMED ME.**

 **YOU HAVE T-MINUS 120 SECONDS TO DEACTIVATE ME.**

 **PLEASE ENTER THE CORRECT DEACTIVATION CODE.**

"Oh _shit!_ " Phoenix cried as he frantically tried to remember the code for the bomb. _Shit, there were so many bombs! Uh... no, the water jugs don't have an alternate code. Uh... oh shit, oh shit!_ Phoenix yelled out in shock as a large van with an obnoxious driver drove by his vehicle, brushing against it and moving him around, causing him to let go of the briefcase as it slid away from him towards the backseat area. "No! No!" Phoenix cried out as he tried to get his foot unstuck from the seat.

He reached around for something to pull himself out with as he kept his eyes on the bomb's timer. "Shit! Fuck!" Phoenix muttered as he desperately tried to get free from the seat, realizing that his leg was caught by the metal bar for adjusting the seat's distance from the steering wheel. "Dammit!" Phoenix whined as he grabbed the bar and tried to move it, only to accidentally slide it closer to the wheel, trapping himself further.

"You piece of shit!" Phoenix spat in anger. He looked back over at the bomb.

 **00:00:47**

 **00:00:46**

 **00:00:45**

 **00:00:44**

 **00:00:43**

"No! No!" Phoenix cried out as he desperately tried to push the seat back and free his leg. "The answer is one! Just the one guy!" Phoenix cried out, praying that the machine had voice recognition software.

 **00:00:36**

 **00:00:35**

 **00:00:34**

 **00:00:33**

"No! No!" Phoenix cried out in terror as he struggled even more desperately to escape.

Lisker lifted his head as his breaths came in even shallower. He saw the small open briefcase and the desperate manner in which Phoenix was trying to escape. "Well... I bet you don't... feel lucky at all. Do ya... punk?" Lisker asked quietly with his final breaths. "I'll see you soon... Milius."

A few seconds later, Phoenix screamed in horror just as the countdown finished.

 **00:00:02**

 **00:00:01**

 **00:00:00**

 _ **BOOOOOOMMM!**_

The bomb went off, destroying the van, frying Phoenix, and shattering the windows of every building nearby. Nearby vehicles, parked and moving, were sent tumbling onto their sides as the explosion rocked through the air, sending dozens of animals feeling and ducking for safety and cover as they covered their ears and eyes.

Another block up ahead, Komo Domo turned around and looked back at the explosion with wide eyes. "John," Komo whispered, horrified. "I have nothing left," he said to himself, before he returned his attention to the fleeing mammal family. "I don't need a blue flower to go savage," Komo said darkly as he aimed his gun and fired the last remaining bullets at the fleeing family, missing when one of them tripped and fell forward.

He quickly threw the gun to the ground before getting on all fours and running on the sidewalk, picking up speed as he moved through the frightened crowds like a scale-covered train. Komo let out a horrific roar as he approached the Wildes. "Your mine!" he yelled out viciously.

Nick and Judy both stopped running at the nearest crosswalk, grabbing their children as a car turned the corner in front of them without slowing down. "He's still coming," Nick exclaimed in fright as they saw the massive lizard running towards them. Saliva was dripping from Komo's mouth as fury burned in his eyes. The Wildes quickly turned around and ran across the street, causing the driver of a taxi to honk its horn in alarm as he hit the brakes.

"Watch where you're going, ass-oh shit!" the driver, a cougar, exclaimed as Komo slammed into the taxi, turning his body and using his tail to knock it to the side so that he could stun the driver. Komo quickly ran around and opened the door. "T-Take the money!" the driver cried out. "I don't want your fucking money! Put the car in park and get out!" Komo exclaimed.

"I-I-" "I said do it!" Komo roared before reaching over and grabbing the gear shift to put the vehicle in park. He then grabbed the cougar and threw him out of the car and into oncoming traffic, where he was run over by another car. Komo paid the cougar's death no mind as he got into the driver's seat, quickly adjusting it for his tail, and put the medium-sized cab into drive.

"Let's have some _fun!_ " Komo snarled with a grin before hitting the gas and speeding onto the road, crossing several lanes of traffic as the Wildes raced across the street and onto the opposing sidewalk.

Looking behind them, Nick and Judy both opened their mouths in shock as they saw Komo gunning for them, narrowly dodging fire hydrants as dozens of pedestrians either leaped out of the way or were run over by the revenge-crazed dragon. "Here I am! I am the MASTER of your destiny~y!" Komo sang as he drove onward.

"Run! Run!" Nick exclaimed as he picked up Victoria and Ben to carry them while Judy kept running by his side. "Into that store!" Judy exclaimed as she pointed at an adult entertainment shop. "You can run, but you can't hide!" Komo sang as he increased the speed of the vehicle. "He's gaining on us!" Judy shouted as they reached the front door of the shop. The family quickly opened the door and took shelter, backing away from the entrance as they saw the lights of the taxi speed by them.

"Whew!" Nick let out as he put down Ben and Victoria. Their relief was short-lived, however, as they heard the sound of tires squealing on the sidewalk. "Oh, give us a break! There's no way that he's gonna-" Nick was interrupted as Komo backed the taxi into the shop, breaking through the door and ramming the rear of the vehicle into the checkout counter, where the cashier, an ibex doe, screamed in terror as she leapt out of the way.

"Surprise, motherfuckers!" Komo shouted with a grin as he put the vehicle in park and got out of the cab. "I gotta say, these Zootopian taxis are pretty tough," Komo noted as he looked at the dented trunk of the car. Looking back over to where the Wildes had been standing, Komo frowned as he saw that they had disappeared.

Komo flicked his tongue out before looking around at the store, noticing all of the various shelves and racks lined with lube, condoms, sex toys, porn videos, comics, and other adult paraphernalia. "Oh my. I seem to have stepped into paradise," Komo said with a chuckle before knocking over a table holding various containers of lubricant, knocking the bottles onto the floor as he searched for his prey. Looking over near the back, Komo saw a furry orange tail sticking out from behind a shelving unit.

Smirking, he quickly knocked the shelf over into another one as he lunged over at the spot, crashing into the floor before seeing that the tail was merely a fetish accessory. "Clever bastards," Komo muttered, before he caught movement out of the corner of his eyes. He quickly stood up and looked over near the other side of the store, where the Wildes were running along the wall and racing to the taxi.

"I see you!" Komo called out tauntingly as he knocked over a display of blow-up dolls and various boxes of sex toys. "Keep running!" Nick yelled as he glanced back at Komo. "Get into the cab and open the other door!" Judy exclaimed as she pushed Ben and Victoria ahead of her into the front seat of the vehicle. The two hybrids quickly pushed the front passenger-side door open and jumped out, waiting for their mother and father to join them.

Inside the store, Nick picked up a bright pink rubber dildo and threw it at Komo. The dildo bounced off of the dragon and landed at his feet, causing him to trip as he stepped on it. Nick grinned before turning around and following his wife through the open doors of the taxi, only to yell out in surprise as Komo, having quickly recovered, grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him back into the store.

"Nick!" Judy cried as she turned around and leaped into the cab, jumping off of the seat and onto Komo's back as he threw Nick into a shelf. Nick whimpered in pain from the impact before he pushed himself onto his paws and knees. The fox quickly made his way back over to the dragon, who was busy trying to dislodge his wife from his back.

Komo thrashed around wildly as he tried knocking into shelves and the wall in and attempt to knock Judy off of him. Slamming into a shelf filled with various sex toys, Judy grabbed bright yellow rubber dildo and began smacking Komo in the head with it. "Stop that!" Komo yelled out incredulously as he realized what Judy was hitting him with. He then looked down at the floor and grinned as an idea entered his head.

"I'll be that your husband lets you on top all the time, so let's see how you like being on the bottom!" Komo quipped before lunging onto the floor and rolling over. Judy cried out and let go of his shirt to avoid being crushed as Komo rolled around and slammed into a shelf, causing it to tilt as various sex products fell onto him. "D'oh!" Komo blurted before looking up, seeing the shelf tilting further. "Uh-oh," he muttered with wide eyes as the unit fell over onto him.

Still holding the yellow phallus in her paws, Judy threw it at the toppled shelf before rushing over to Nick and helping him stand. "How bad are you hurt?" she asked him. "I-I can walk, but... I think my thigh hit something," Nick replied with a groan. "I might have some difficulty running," he added.

Nick and Judy were soon pulled out of their conversation as they heard a muffled roar, followed by the creaking and moaning of the toppled shelf as Komo began pushing it off of himself. "Let's go!" Judy exclaimed as she pushed Nick over to the taxi, making sure that he got in first before following him. Judy glanced back as Komo finally managed to get out from under the shelf, closing the door behind her and following her husband and children as they continued running away.

Back in the store, Komo quickly stood back up and snarled as he lunged forward, crashing into the taxi and ripping the driver-side door off of its hinges, throwing it at a wall-mounted rack of pornographic videos.

Komo got into the driver's seat and took turned the engine back on, quickly pulling the vehicle out of the shop and driving back onto the sidewalk. Up ahead, Nick and Judy turned back to look at the yellow car heading towards them. Looking back up ahead, Judy saw a fire hydrant near the street corner, as well as the window of a n adult bookstore next to it. "Nick, I have a plan," Judy said.

"Yeah? Mind telling me?" Nick asked as he picked up Ben and Victoria, his injuries causing him to wince as he started to have difficulty keeping up his pace. "You carry the kits, and I'll take care of Komo," Judy said. "What!?" Nick asked her. Ben and Victoria both looked at their mother in surprise and concern. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing," Judy said.

"Judy, please, don't do this. If we can just make it to a bus or a train station, we can get to a police station and be safe!" Nick exclaimed. Komo honked the horn of the taxi as he drew closer, pulling out his flare gun and aiming it at the Wildes. "Who wants roasted bunny and fox!?" Komo asked them manically.

Judy quickly ducked as she leaped onto the fire hydrant and launched herself at the store window before bouncing off to latch herself onto Komo's outstretched arm as he caught up with them. Grabbing the arm and hand, Judy tugged and bit at it, forcing Komo to swing his arm around in an attempt to dislodge her. Judy looked over at Komo as he snarled, before moving herself closer and kicking at his head.

"Graah!" Komo yelled as he jerkily turned the wheel and spun the taxi around wildly before taking it back on track. "Stay! Away! From! My! _**Family!**_ " Judy exclaimed with emphasis as she kicked her feet at Komo's head. Komo growled at Judy before spitting at her face. "Ack!" Judy cried out as the Komodo's saliva hit her in the face.

Komo quickly swung his arm back into the side panel of the cab, causing Judy to cry out in pain as her back was slammed into the frame. "Had enough!?" Komo asked her as he repeated the action before bringing his arm around, throwing Judy and the flare gun into the seat next to him. Judy landed with a thud and a groan, while the flare gun slid off the seat and onto the floor.

Quickly getting back up, Judy looked forward and saw that Komo was regaining ground on her family. Glaring at the dragon, Judy snarled before lunging at him, attacking his upper torso and delivering several jabs to his face and neck. "Aah, get off me!" Komo snarled at the bunny as she pounded her fists into his face, hitting him in the right eye and causing him to lose control of the steering wheel.

"Oh shit!" Judy exclaimed as she realized what was happening. The taxi drove back onto the street as it turned in a circular fashion, causing several cars to honk their horns as they swerved to avoid it. Komo grabbed Judy and pinned her to the passenger seat with one arm as he tried to regain control of the vehicle, only for his eyes to widen as a large blue pickup truck crashed into them, sending the taxi spinning briefly before flipping over and crashing into a liquor store.

The blue pickup truck stopped and a slightly dazed female coywolf stepped out as she saw Nick and his children on the sidewalk. "Nick!" Cynthia called out as she saw him. "Cy-Furrero?" Nick asked as he finally recognized her. "Nick, where's Judy?" Cynthia asked him worriedly. "She was in the... taxi!" Nick cried out in worry. Cynthia whipped her head around and looked over at the flipped-over taxi that had crashed into the liquor store.

She quickly ran over to the side of Gibson's truck. "Gibson, call Bogo and tell him that we've located the Wildes," Cynthia said before carefully making her way over to the wrecked yellow taxi. The vehicle was lying on its roof, forcing Cynthia to crouch down in order to get a better look inside the cab.

"Judy!" Cynthia cried out as she saw the injured hare lying on her side. Judy stirred and blinked a few times before looking over at Cynthia in surprise. "F-Furrero?" Judy asked tiredly. "Judy, can you move?" Cynthia asked her.

Judy flexed her arms and legs, hissing in pain. "Y-Yeah. Not much, but... I'm not staying under here," Judy replied as she turned herself over and crawled out from the cab. Cynthia held her arm out to give her support. "You all right? Wilde, what the hell happened to you? What were you doing in that cab?" Cynthia asked Judy as she grabbed onto her arm and pulled herself out from under the taxi.

"I was... fighting Komo," Judy said tiredly. "Who?" Cynthia asked her. "Komo... Domo. Simon is Komo Domo," Judy explained between breaths. "Komo? That lizard from... holy shit," Cynthia muttered in disbelief. "Here, let me help you," Cynthia said as she gently picked up the smaller mammal. "Not... a word," Judy said to the coywolf as she turned around. A creaking noise from behind caught both officers' attention. Looking back at the wrecked cab, Judy and Cynthia watched as a large lizard with a torn shirt crawled out from the other side of the vehicle into the liquor store, where at least one shelf had been knocked over, spilling the alcoholic contents onto the floor.

The dragon groaned as he stood up and leaned against the front desk for support. There was blood streaming down from a cut above his forehead, and he had lacerations on his left arm. Flicking his tongue out, Komo turned around and saw Cynthia holding Judy in her arms. Glaring at the two mammals, Komo inhaled before letting out a hiss.

Lumbering forward, Komo grabbed the trunk of the cab and pushed it out of his way, adrenaline rushing through his veins. The tail end of the vehicle spun to the side, forcing Cynthia to back up to the edge of the sidewalk. An oncoming car forced her to step forward again, just as Komo emerged from the wrecked entrance of the liquor store.

"You're dead," Komo growled before he lunged forward. Cynthia leapt to the side to avoid the massive lizard, only for Komo to turn around and use his tail to whack Cynthia in the side and send her sprawling onto the ground with Judy still in her arms. Marching over, Komo grabbed Cynthia's tail and tugged violently at it, causing the coywolf to yelp out in pain before he let go and grabbed her by the ankles, dragging her back before lifting her into the air and slamming her against the side of the taxi.

Cynthia and Judy fell back to the ground, with Cynthia landing on top of Judy, causing the hare to whimper from the increased weight. "S-Sorry," Cynthia grunted as she tried to get up, only for Komo to march over and press his foot down on her back. Cynthia and Judy both cried out in pain from the pressure.

"Judy!" Nick cried out, while Gibson helped put his children in the truck. Gibson quickly pulled out his Bearretta and aimed it at Komo. "Dirt-bag! Step away from the females!" Gibson shouted from where he stood. Komo looked over at him before stepping back and grabbing Cynthia's gun from her holster and lifting her up to use as a shield. He held the coywolf's gun to her head as insurance.

"Shit!" Gibson exclaimed in frustration and horror. "Put away the gun!" Komo yelled at him before moving his tail to raise it above Judy. Looking up at Komo's tail, Judy painfully rolled over to the under side of the taxi, where she saw something on the ground underneath the dashboard. It was Komo's flare gun, and Judy remembered that Komo's back and torn shirt were covered with alcohol.

"Now, don't worry, Furrero," Komo whispered into Cynthia's ears, "I was planning to kill you and the lion too at some point. All of you were responsible for Arjun's death and my empire being crippled." Cynthia grunted in response. "Do you really think... that you'll have any chance of getting out of here alive for this?" Cynthia asked him.

"I don't care at this point. As long as I kill you guys and the Wildes, I can die with peace of mind," Komo replied with a smirk. At that point, Cynthia realized that there was no negotiating with Komo. As she looked over at Gibson, who was waiting for an opening, she felt Komo press the barrel of her gun against her head even harder.

Meanwhile, Judy had crawled under the taxi again and had grabbed the flare gun. Checking to make sure that it was loaded, Judy glanced back at the legs, feet, and tail of Komo as he held Cynthia hostage, while Gibson and her family were standing across the street. Furrowing her brows, Judy crawled over to the other side of the taxi and began climbing on to the underside, grabbing a tire and rim as she hefted herself up.

In the distance Nick saw what his wife was doing, and his eyes widened. "No. Judy, what are you doing?" Nick whispered in fear for her safety. Judy looked over at him, and both mammals locked eyes, before Judy gave him a comforting smile. Making sure that the flare gun was secure, Judy carefully made her way over behind Komo.

Steadying herself, Judy steeled her nerves and then leapt onto the back of Komo's neck, causing him to cry out in surprise. This gave Cynthia the opportunity she needed to duck and grab Komo's hand, biting at his wrist to force her gun out of his grasp. Komo quickly backhanded Cynthia and caused her to stumble into the taxi, before he swung his tail around wildly as he grasped at Judy, who was clinging onto him with all her might.

Cynthia was caught again by Kmo's tail and landed on the ground with a cry of pain, while Komo thrashed around wildly in his attempts to dislodge Judy. "Get off!" Komo roared savagely as he opened his jaws and snapped them left and right. Komo soon began backing himself up into the taxi, hoping to crush Judy, who simply fell back onto the underside before moving to leap at Komo again.

This time, however, Komo was prepared for her stunt. As soon as he saw her out of the corner of his eye, he swiped his tail and sent her flying through the air. Miraculously, Judy was sent flying straight into the cushioning body of Cynthia, who coughed in pain as Judy slammed into her gut. "God, why?" Cynthia asked painfully.

Judy quickly got up and crawled off of the coywolf looking over to see Komo furiously making his way over to them. The dragon was now consumed by pure rage as he opened his maw to roar at the two females, showing his rows of teeth and dripping saliva. Komo's display of raw animalistic rage gave Judy just the opening that she needed. Pulling out the flare gun, Judy aimed it at Komo's open mouth and fired, sending the bright fiery light into the dragon's mouth and down his throat.

Komo's eyes widened in shock as the flare soon spread itself throughout his body, letting out a horrific roar of agony as the fire engulfed his insides, while the alcohol on his hide and clothes caught fire as well. The dragon burned from within as light emanated from his maw in a horrific and fiery display, before he finally fell to the ground, no longer moving, with only his otherwise limp tail twitching once or twice before all movement ceased. Komo Domo was finally dead.

Everyone watched as the dragon's body continued burning, while Gibson called for an ambulance to come pickup Nick and Judy, as well as their children. Judy and Cynthia eventually managed to make their way back over to Gibson and Nick after re-holstering her gun, with Ben and Victoria leaping out of the truck to latch onto their mother and cry in relief over both her survival and their own as soon as they saw her get back on the sidewalk.

Leaning into the side of the truck, Cynthia watched the scene with a smirk. "Figures. You're the best around. Nothin's ever gonna get'cha down," Cynthia sang softly as she watched Nick embrace his wife and children. As nice as the scene was, there was something nagging at her in the back of her mind. "Wait... where's Lisker?" Cynthia asked out loud.

"Huh?" Gibson asked her. "Lisker; Where is that bastard?" Cynthia reiterated. "Hey, Wildes! Where's Lisker?" Gibson asked. Judy quickly lifted her head. "L-Lisker... he's... probably back at the club somewhere. Oh no," Judy whispered as she remembered the explosion from earlier.

"I'll... go look for him," Cynthia said as she heard the sound of an ambulance and several police vehicles approaching. "No, you stay here," Gibson said. "I'll go check on him. You're in no condition to stray too far," Gibson added as he saw a cruiser pull up to the side as an ambulance pulled up behind it. Chief Bogo quickly stepped out of the cruiser and walked over to the Wildes, a small relieved smile adorning his face.

Bogo then noticed the smoldering corpse near the overturned taxi across the road. "What-" "Simon. I mean, Komo Domo," Cynthia explained. "K-Komo... Domo?" Bogo asked her, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. "Mercenaries, targeting the Wildes... it all makes sense now," Bogo whispered to himself.

"Chief, we still need to find Lisker," Gibson said as he walked over to the cape buffalo. "Lisker? Right, where is he?" Bogo asked. "Well, that's what we need to find out. Wilde here says that he might still be back at the club somewhere," Gibson said. "Alright, Gibson, you come with me," Bogo said before turning to look at Lieutenant Eric Burns. "Burns, stay here with the Wildes. Gibson and I are going to look for Lisker," Bogo said to the tiger.

Burns nodded his head while Gibson and Bogo got back into the cruiser and pulled away, driving down to the club. "Do you think the wolf's made his escape?" Gibson asked as they drew closer to the club, before stopping as they saw another ambulance already parked near the sidewalk with emergency vehicles as fire-fighters took care of the burning remains of a van in the middle of the road.

"What the hell happened here?" Gibson asked rhetorically. "We'll have to find out," Bogo said as he parked the cruiser and turned off the engine. The lion and the buffalo quickly got out and walked over to the cruiser where Captain Hemsfield was standing. "Captain Hemsfield," Bogo said to the fallow deer buck.

"Chief," Hemsfield said before looking over at Gibson. "Hi, Gibson," Hemsfield said. "What's the story?" Bogo asked him. "Well, the van had a bomb in it that went off. Killed the driver and damaged quite a few stores and other vehicles in the area. Our witnesses include several prostitutes, cheating spouses, and several club patrons," Hemsfield said. Bogo glanced over at the wreckage before turning back to look at the club. He was about to speak when he noticed something in the distance.

Pulling out his glasses, Bogo got a better look at the figure sitting against the wall, with blood on the ground next to him. Quickly making his way over to the wolf, Bogo knelt down and placed a hoof under his chin and against his throat. "Lisker," Bogo whispered as he failed to find a pulse. Gibson quickly strode over to the buffalo's side and knelt down next to him.

"Lisker?" Gibson asked. "Yeah. It's him," Bogo replied mournfully. "Damn. I actually kind of liked the guy," Gibson said. Bogo merely sighed in response. "I think... he's earned a proper burial for his sacrifice, at least," Bogo said. "Huh?" Gibson asked him. "I may not be able to forgive you for what you did to Wilde, but... you've earned my gratitude... for giving your life to save theirs," Bogo said to the wolf's corpse.

"Rest in peace, Milton Lisker," Bogo said with a salute.

 **Back At The Ambulance...**

"Ouch," Nick said with a wince as the lioness EMT cleaned his wounds. "Crybaby. How many times in my career am I gonna have to deal with you guys?" Mala asked rhetorically. "I don't know," Nick replied. "I remember the first time I had to deal with you guys," Mala said with a chuckle. "How long ago was it? Ten, maybe eleven years?" she asked.

"I'd say somewhere around that," Nick said. Judy nodded her head in agreement. "Yep. It was you guys and that lizard. What was his name?" Mala asked. "It _was_ Lawrence Albigul, but last I heard, he changed his identity after entering the Witness Protection Program," Judy said.

"How long ago did that happen?" Nick asked her. "I don't remember the exact date," Judy replied with a sigh. "I wonder how Larry's doing right now," Nick pondered. "Don't know. It's probably for the best that we don't seek him out. We might blow his cover," Judy said. Nick nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said.

Sitting on a seat farther back, Cynthia sighed as she felt the pain medication kicking in for her bruised ribs. "I need a vacation," she muttered. "What are you talking about? You just had a wild night in the Red Light District. You're _already_ on vacation," Nick joked.

"Shut up, Nick," Cynthia said with a smile.

A few minutes later, the Wildes heard the sound of tires approaching before coming to a stop. A minute later, they heard doors opening and closing before Bogo and Gibson made their way over to the back of the ambulance, looking everyone over. "Nicholas, Judith," Bogo said with a curt nod before looking over and Ben and Victoria. "Benjamin, Victoria," he said.

Ben and Vicky both hesitantly nodded their heads in response. "How... how are you doing?" Bogo gently asked the children. Ben and Vicky were both silent for a minute, before Ben finally spoke. "I wanna go home," Ben said. "We're tired and hungry," Victoria stated. "I can imagine," Bogo said, nodding his head.

"So... did you find Lisker?" Nick asked Bogo. Bogo turned to look at Nick. "Yes. We found him," Bogo said. "Is he okay?" Judy asked him, her ears raising in anticipation. "He's... dead," Bogo said. Judy's ears lowered in solemn understanding. "Oh," she said.

"Nicholas?" Bogo asked as he saw the pensive look on Nick's face. "I... I don't know how to feel right now," Nick said. "I always thought... I'd be jumping for joy at hearing that news, but... I can't find it in me to feel _anything_ ," Nick said. "That's... understandable. I would... recommend that you seek some counseling for a while. Actually, I recommend that all four of you receive counseling and therapy for a period of time," Bogo said.

"What about me?" Cynthia asked him. "Physical therapy for you," Bogo said. "And what about me?" Gibson chimed in. " _You?_ " Bogo asked the lion skeptically. "Yeah. I didn't get to take part in any of the action. I feel really depressed and miserable because of that," Gibson said jokingly.

Bogo frowned and snorted at the lion. "I'd recommend a lobotomy for you," Bogo said, causing Gibson to widen his eyes at the response. Cynthia and Nick both chuckled, Judy snickered at him. "Can we go home now?" Ben asked tiredly. Judy looked from her son over to Bogo.

"Chief?" Judy asked the buffalo. "I'd like to have a verbal report now, and then you can submit your final report tomorrow, from home. Start at the beginning, at least," Bogo said in response. "Well, in the beginning, the Earth cooled, and then primitive bacteria evolved in the primordial ooze," Nick said. "Wilde," Bogo warned. "Komo's henchmen had us loaded into the back of a large truck and transported to the back of the building that houses the strop club and several other businesses," Nick said.

"Lisker was captured at some point while trying to follow us, and... we were all tortured by Komo before Lisker escaped and briefly incapacitated him, while also killing as many of his mercenary forces as possible in the process as he freed us. Lisker stayed behind in the club to buy us some time while we escaped, and then Komo caught up with us before attempting to run us down with a stolen vehicle," Judy explained.

"Gibson and Furrero arrived while accidentally crashing their vehicle into the stolen taxi, and after Furrero was assaulted by Komo, I managed to find a flare gun and... I killed Komo Domo, sir," Judy said. Bogo looked over at Cynthia. "Detective Furrero, can you corroborate any of this?" Bogo asked her. "Only the parts after Gibson and I showed up," she replied.

"And?" Bogo pressed. "She's telling the truth," Cynthia said. Bogo nodded his head in response before looking over at the Wildes again. "Alright. Go home... _AFTER_ you've been checked out and cleared by medical personnel," Bogo said. "Thank you, sir," Judy said. "You're welcome," Bogo said before turning around and walking away.

"Um, sir!" Judy called out, catching Bogo's attention. "Hm?" he asked. "About Lisker... will he receive a funeral?" Judy asked. "Possibly," Bogo said. "Sir... he was tortured as much as we were, and he still kep this promise to help save our children. We owe him at least a proper funeral," Judy said. Bogo looked away for a minute in thought before looking back over at Judy.

"I'll see what I can do," Bogo said. Judy nodded her head in understanding before the cape buffalo turned around and walked away again. "Judy, I... I know that Lisker... am I supposed to just let what he did to me and Cynthia go? Am I supposed to forgive him for what he did to us back then?" Nick asked her.

"Nick... Komo tried to kill us because _he_ couldn't let go of the past. You don't exactly have to forgive Lisker for what he did, but you should at least acknowledge what's he's _done_ for us since then. Nick, he _died_ saving us and our children," Judy said. Nick frowned with a sigh. "Okay," he said reluctantly. "I'll... if there's a funeral, I'll go with you. But don't expect me to say anything nice," he added.

Judy looked at him expectantly. "I'll say thanks to his body, for what he did today," Nick said in defeat. "Thank you," Judy said. "What about you, Furrero?" Judy asked the coywolf. Cynthia was looking down at the floor. "Furrero?" Judy asked again. "I'll go," she said reluctantly.

"Uh, what about me?" Gibson asked. Everyone turned to look at him. "Aren't you going to ask me to come along?" Gibson asked them. "Rog, what is your problem?" Nick asked him. "I just wanted to be included," Gibson said. "Rog, go home and spend the night with your girlfriend," Cynthia said.

"Wait, you have a girlfriend?" Nick asked the lion. "Hey, you already have a _wife_ , Nick. Stay away from my girl," Gibson said with a smile. "Aw, who is she?" Judy asked. "Well, do you remember when we were investigating Terrence Sharpo?" Gibson asked them. "Yeah," Nick replied, the faces of several fallen comrades flashing through his head.

"Well, there was this hyena who worked at the front desk named Shiva Vanderhausen, and a few years ago, I ran into her at a supermarket. We got to talking and just hit things off," Gibson said. "Oh. Well, uh, good for you. Glad you found someone who tolerates you," Nick said with a smile and a chuckle.

"I'll let that slide since you're injured," Gibson replied in jest. "Mama, are we finally going home?" Victoria asked her mother. "Soon, Baby, soon," Judy said as she reached out and pulled her daughter into her embrace. Nick looked over at Ben and pulled him into a hug as well. "Don't worry, guys. We'll be going home soon enough," Nick said.

"Dad?" Ben asked. "Yeah?" Nick responded. "Is... is Miss Janet gonna be okay too?" Ben asked him. Nick looked back over at Gibson. "Uh... hey, Roger? Any word on Clayworth's condition from the hospital?" Nick asked him. "They stabilized her this morning. She won't be leaving the hospital for at least a week or two, but she'll live," Gibson replied. Nick tilted his head to look down at his son.

"Hear that?" Nick asked Ben, who nodded his head with a weak smile. "She's gonna be okay. We're _all_ gonna be okay," Nick added firmly, smiling at his son, before looking over at his wife and daughter, who both smiled back at him tiredly. "And we're all gonna go home... _together_."

* * *

 **Twelve Years Later...**

Date: Wednesday, June 11th, 2042

 **Longhorn High School, Savanna Central**

Out on the fields of grass behind Longhorn High School, hundreds of animals sat on bleachers as they watched the graduating class of 2042 receive their diplomas. Nick and Judy watched with pride, and cameras, as Benjamin and Victoria both received their diplomas without incident, a testament to the city's progression from decades earlier. Sitting next to them, Stu and Bonnie Hopps both smiled as they took pictures of the graduating class as well.

Sitting next to Judy, Claire Wilde watched quietly as her grandchildren walked down from the podium and waited in their seats alongside the rest of the graduates before the next group of students were called up. Claire tilted her head as she heard sniffling next to her, and glanced over to see Judy smiling with tears streaming down her face. Claire reached into her purse and pulled out a handkerchief.

"Here," Claire said quietly as she offered the handkerchief to the bunny next to her. "Thank you," Judy said as she took the handkerchief and wiped her face. "It's no problem," Claire said with a smile before returning her attention to the graduating students.

Judy then returned the handkerchief before putting her paw on her husband's lap, prompting him to reach down and take her paw in one of his own, giving it a gentle squeeze as both parents watched the proceedings. Glancing over at her husband, Judy saw that he also had silent tears streaming down his face as he smiled at the students, his gaze locked firmly onto the backs of his son and daughter. "Hey, you okay?" Judy asked him. Nick tore his gaze away and looked over at her.

"I'm fine. I really am," Nick said with a smile. "Our babies are all grown up. And you were here to see it, Nick. You _are_ father material," Judy said, remembering how her husband had doubted himself so many years earlier. Nick smiled at her with a nod of his head. "So, what do we do now?" Nick asked her quietly.

"Well... we still have to put them through college," Judy said. "I never went to college," Nick said quietly. "Ben and Vicky... will be the first Wildes to attend _and_ graduate from college," Nick said in realization. "I can't wait to see it," Judy said with a smile as she gently squeezed her husband's paw. "Neither can I," he said in return as he smiled at her. Both parents soon returned their attention to the graduation ceremony, eagerly looking forward to the next chapter of both their own lives and those of their offspring as they continued to make the world a better place.

 **THE END**

Ending Theme: _Pilgrim_ , by Eric Clapton.

* * *

Author's Notes: And so the Reckless Endangerment series has, most likely, reached its conclusion. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you all had fun reading it. If anyone wants to see me write one more story, be it a continuation or a prequel involving Chief Bogo in his younger years, make sure to let me know in either your reviews or in private messages.

For those of you wondering about the Mr. Holland's Opus music, I suggest listening to it while reading the epilogue showing the graduation of Ben and Victoria from high school. It really gives the story a triumphant and victorious feel after everything that's happened, and Eric Clapton's Pilgrim is just a really good song. It was used during the end credits of _Lethal Weapon 4_ , and since Clapton helped compose some of the music for all four movies in the franchise, it truly helped bring a sense of closure to the final entry.

Since the Reckless Endangerment series borrows a lot from the Lethal Weapon series, I found that the song would be appropriate for the final story.

Also, from this point on, other authors may borrow, after asking and receiving permission, the following characters for their own works:

Milton Lisker - Gray Wolf.

Quinn Blackwell - Gray Wolf.

Gregory Pelton - Gray Wolf.

Furmington Benezio - Siberian Tiger.

Leo Horrowitz - Ram, Sheep.

Reginald Vanderbelt - Kodiak Bear.

Dominic DeSilva - Komodo Dragon.

Maes Hooper - Gray Wolf.

Thomas McLeod - Gray Wolf.

Hans Fursfield - Brown Bear.

Eric Burns - Siberian Tiger.

Hannah Martinez - Water Buffalo.

Elliot Wycleff - Gray Wolf.

Thurman - Rhinoceros

Janet Clayworth - Arctic Fox.

Cynthia Furrero - Coywolf, Coyote/Wolf Hybrid.

Conan Milius - African Leopard.

Bernard Callahan - Grizzly Bear.

James Hingle - Southwest African Lion, or Katanga Lion.

Roger Gibson - Masai Lion.

Martin Glover - Melanistic Jaguar, aka Black Panther.

Captain Gerald Hemsfield - Fallow Deer.

Komo Domo - Komodo Dragon.

Arjun Rooter - Komodo Dragon.

Kalmius Eberzolah - Komodo Dragon.

Sylvester Barbaros, Maulia Barbaros, Zack Bandit, John Phoenix - Dingoes.

Darryl Keith - Roughneck Monitor Lizard.

Dominus Razak - Wedge-tailed Eagle.

Roland Long-Hopp - Wallaby

Wilbur McKenzie - Koala.

Khali Sherakh - Bengal Tiger.

Tolgeth Sakish - Bengal Tiger.

Terrence Sharpo - Grizzly Bear.

Marcus Girdlier - Grizzly Bear.

Calvin Evarhyde - Zebra.

Carl Tosser - Onager, a type of wild donkey.

Martin Grant - Beaver.

Joe Welker - Hare.

Blake Kurtz - Ram, Sheep.

All that I ask in return is that their personalities and species be kept mostly intact, although the dingoes may be changed to different canine species for the sake of whatever story you're using them in, if needed. For another point of interest, when writing Magnum Fur, one idea that I had for Cynthia Furrero was that she was actually Milton Lisker's _biological daughter_ , however, I never used the idea in the story, and instead left them unrelated. If anyone wants to use this for their own stories, feel free to do so.

As always, be sure to let me know what you thought of the chapter and/or story as a whole in your reviews. The only other chapter after this is a bonus chapter with alternate and unused sequences. I'll be resuming my work on THE THING fan fiction after this point. Again, if enough people ask, I may do one more story for Reckless Endangerment. And, don't worry, I'll still be posting various Zootopia stories and one shots here and there.

Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That's all, folks!


	14. BONUS CHAPTER

**ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL**

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

 **BONUS: DELETED AND ALTERNATE SCENES**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 02-A**

Lounging back in his chair, Tolgeth Sakish sighed pleasurably as his escort rolled off of him and walked away. He purred at the sight of the lioness as she walked over to collect her towel. "Keep shaking that ass and I might have come right back here for another ride," Sakish said.

He looked around at the other females who were milling about. His head enforcer, Khali Sherakh, entered the room. "Khali, what brings you in here?" Sakish asked him with a smile. "Some of our watchers oversaw one of the dragons visiting the kangaroo today, along with another dragon and a dingo. I think we've found Phoenix," Sherakh said. "So? There is nothing he can do to us now. And besides, the kangaroo will do nothing. He knows to keep his mouth shut," Sakish said.

"But, uh, what about this other dragon you mentioned? Who are they?" Sakish asked him. "I don't know. The young dragon was Atticus Sanford. He had the day off today," Sherakh replied. "Then why have him followed?" Sakish asked. "He's been acting strange this past week, antsy. I suppose the dragon who was with him may have been a relative from Indonesia or one of the small towns near the coast. We don't have any sites in those areas," Sherakh suggested.

"So he was visited by a relative. That's why he was being antsy. He was expecting a visit from someone. End of story," Sakish said. "Very well. But the older dragon... he's very large. Dragons tend to follow a hierarchy in regards to the older and larger individuals being in charge of the smaller ones. Sanford may become rebellious if he feels that this elder dragon is worth his loyalty more than us," Sherakh said.

"Ha! He's been branded. He belongs to me now, and he knows better than to stray from his master," Sakish said with a grin. Just then, Sherakh's cell phone rang. He took it out of his suit pocket. "Who is it?" Sakish asked him. "Unknown. It's from a pay phone in... Sygnalios," Sherakh said. "Answer it," Sakish ordered him.

Sherakh nodded his head and answered the phone. "Hello, who is this?" Sherakh asked in a polite manner. " _Is this Khali Sherakh?_ " asked a gruff voice. "Yes. Who is this?" Sherakh asked the animal on the other end. " _You'll find out tomorrow afternoon. Tell your boss, Mister Sakish, that he should expect a visitor for dinner tomorrow. I would love to make his acquaintance,_ " the voice said.

Sherakh looked over at Sakish. "He says that he wants to meet you for dinner tomorrow," Sherakh relayed. "Here or somewhere else?" Sakish asked him. "Do you wish to meet Mr. Sakish at his residence or somewhere else?" Sherakh asked him. " _At the... house he's living in right now,_ " the voice said. There was a slightly bitter tone to it.

"Very well, but I would like to know your name," Sherakh demanded. " _It is spelled Wyrm, and I will see you both tomorrow,_ " the voice said before hanging up. "Wyrm? What kind of name is that?" Sherakh asked in confusion. Sakish's eyes widened. "Germanic, someone from Europa!" Sakish exclaimed. "A wolf or a bear?" Sherakh asked his boss.

"No! A reptile! Wyrm was the name of an ancient reptilian in their myths! A god or a god-like figure, with great and terrible power!" Sakish explained. "So?" Sherakh asked with a snort. "This fellow wants to intimdate us. And he's most likely a Komodo Dragon," Sakish said. "How do you figure?" Sherakh asked him. "Because... Wyrm is an ancient term for dragon, and if this fellow refers to himself as such, he would have to have knowledge of that history. It's possible that he is a fellow mammal hiding behind false names, but it's more than likely that he's a lizard," Sakish explained.

"The elder dragon who Sanford met with today," Sherakh said. "I'll have someone follow Sanford and pick him up tonight. We'll bring him here and question him," Sherakh said. "Yes. Yes, do that," Sakish said, nodding his head in agreement.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 02-B**

"Really? I wonder if I can exploit that," Komo said to himself. "He won't lift his own fingers not anymore. He makes his subordinates do all of the work for him. After taking over, he started getting hedonistic, and now the only thing he does himself is drive to his cover job and fuck his harem," Phoenix said. "Surely he must chew and swallow his own food?" Komo asked with a grin. "Of course he does that, he also sits on the toilet by himself and wipes his own ass as well," Phoenix replied. "Good for him. I guess that's one big difference," Komo said.

"You don't wipe your own ass?" Phoenix asked him humorously. "Very funny, jackass. I meant the fact that I always took things into my own hands when I needed to or was in a position to do so," Komo responded. "Then how come you never went to Zootopia to silence that white-throat?" Phoenix asked him. "Do you know how _stupid_ that would have been for me? A large reptile running around in a mammalian city like that? It would only confirm what the police suspected, and I'd have been arrested for certain," Komo explained.

"That's why you sent mammals instead," Phoenix said. "No shit. Did you somehow start regressing in terms of intelligence while I was in prison?" Komo asked the dingo. "No, I just... never gave much thought to those incidents before now. I was always busy on other assignments when you sent people to Zootopia," Phoenix explained. "Yes. Yes, you were," Komo said in agreement.

"But... there is a special assignment that I have for you when this is over. It involves Zootopia," Komo said. "What's the assignment?" Phoenix asked him. "Find those officers who killed Arjun, fake their deaths, and bring them to me. If it weren't for them, Arjun and the others would still be alive, and my empire would not have been taken over by this Sakish fellow," Komo said coldly. "I want them to suffer for what I've been through. Ten years of my life in prison, my friends and associates dead, and my empire and home taken from me; I will never forgive them for this, and I will have my revenge," Komo said.

Phoenix tilted his head. "Maybe we should focus on Sakish first. Get that blood lust out of your system," Phoenix said. "John, I've been planning my revenge on these cops ever since I heard about Arjun's death. Arjun was like a brother to me. I loved him like one, even if we were from different clans. And those furry bastards _killed him_. They killed my friends and subordinates, and for that, I will make them pay. I will take what matters to them the most," Komo said with a growl.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 02-C**

Kneeling down, Komo reached for the zipper and pulled it open, revealing the shivering and beaten form of Atticus Sanford. "Atticus!?" Komo asked quietly, before ushering Phoenix over to his side. "That's the kid from yesterday, right?" Phoenix asked him. "Atticus, what happened?" Komo asked the young dragon.

Atticus sluggishly opened his eyes and looked at Komo. "Atticus?" Komo asked the younger dragon. "They... learned I... talked with... Phoenix," Atticsu said sluggishly. Phoenix frowned upon hearing the news. "They did this to him... because of me," he muttered. "John, help me get him out of this thing," Komo said.

Phoenix nodded his head and kneeled down, grabbing one end of the bag and heaving back with Komo to pull Atticus out of the fridge and onto the floor. "Get something to warm him up," Komo said to Phoenix. Phoenix quickly made his way over to the back of the room and grabbed the open box with Felix's diving gear. "There should be something to keep him insulated in here," Phoenix said in a hushed tone as he dug through the box.

He soon found a thermal gel pack and an insulation vest. He quickly rubbed his paws against the vest and the gel pack to heat them up before placing the gel pack on Atticus and draping the vest over him. "Couldn't you find anything else? What about that insulation suit?" Komo asked him. "The insulation _suit_ was made for mammals, not reptiles," Phoenix countered.

"Put yourself against him," Komo ordered the dingo. "What?" Phoenix asked him. "Your body has a stable temperature. Put yourself against him," Komo ordered firmly. "But my gear-" "Do it, John," Komo said. Phoenix let out a sigh before taking off his gear and crawling over next to Atticus, laying himself against the cold monitor lizard. "This is going to take time away from our mission," Phoenix said quietly.

"Atticus is in this mess because I wanted to meet with you. We owe him," Komo said. "We? None of these people know who _you_ are, Komo. I'm the one they recognized," Phoenix countered. "If I hadn't asked him to take me to you, then he wouldn't have been seen with you, so we both bear responsibility," Komo retorted quietly. "Fine, until he can breathe better," Phoenix said.

"This is torture," Komo said. "Like you're one to talk, Komo. You let Maulia and Zack get away with plenty worse on their missions," Phoenix pointed out. "They were insane, John. Besides, I kept them on a tight leash most of the time. That's why I sent Wilbur and Roland along with them to Zootopia," Komo said. "Yeah, and look at how that turned out," Phoenix retorted.

"Wilbur is still in prison, and the other three are dead," he added. "Yes, but he willingly chose to stay in prison. He was, and still is, one of the most loyal subordinates I have ever had," Komo said in response. Twenty minutes later, Phoenix started to move away from the younger reptile.

"He's getting better," Phoenix said as he grabbed his gear and put it back on, checking for loose equipment.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 03-A**

 **114 Fern Avenue, Savanna Central, Around Noon...**

Sergeant Roger Gibson kneeled down as the crime scene investigators took more pictures and made outlines with small tacs on furniture. A female leopard sealed a piece of evidence in a plastic baggy before labeling it. "So... what are we looking at here?" Gibson asked the leopard. "Suicide," she said as she pointed at the various pills on the table in front of the couch where the dead body had been found. "Who was the victim again?" Gibson asked the leopard.

"A male wolf, age thirty according to his driver's license. His name was Louis Santano. He was a recent immigrant from India, working for the Louie Corporation. They're competitors with UNI-World," the leopard explained. "I'd love to find out how you know that, but what else do you have on our suicide?" Gibson asked her.

"We have his cell phone collected as evidence, but we need a warrant to search its records before we can do anything else with it," she said. "So, get a warrant," Gibson said.

* * *

Date: Friday, December 13th, 2029

 **Sal's Bunker, Somewhere In The Rainforest District...**

Sallierre "Sal" Shortclaw had just entered his bunker when his phone rang. "Hello?" Sal asked as he answered the phone. " _Which underground tunnel leads to your bunker again?_ " asked a voice on the other end. "Who is this?" Sal asked. " _It's me, Sal. John Phoenix. Komo told you that I'd be arriving this month for some recon duty,_ " Phoenix replied.

"Komo never spoke with me. I think you mean Nelson," Sal responded. " _Right. Anyway, which tunnel leads to your bunker again?_ " Phoenix asked. "Well, which tunnel are you in right now?" Sal asked him.

* * *

Big Line Break

* * *

 **CHAPTER 05-A**

"Hm, that's odd," he said before he accessed the phone's settings menu. "Unless... I see. I had it set to silent the whole weekend," Martin said to himself. He returned to the missed message menu and looked at the phone number on the screen, his eyes widening in recognition of a number that he hadn't heard from in a very long time. Pressing the TALK icon, Martin listened to the sound of the phone ringing, only to eventually get the voice mail box.

" _Hi, you've reached the voice mail box of John Bosworth. Please leave your name, a brief message, and a number where you can be reached, and I will return your call as soon as I am available. Thank you._ **AFTER THE BEEP, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOICE MESSAGE** _ **,**_ " the machine said.

"Hey, John, it's-" " _ **HEY!**_ **I SAID** _ **AFTER**_ **THE BEEP!** " the machine shouted. Martin blinked in surprise at the outburst.

 **BEEP!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 05-B**

"Hmm... well, if you want to play with your food first, I think I know of a fun way to do it. Have you ever played Simon Says?" Sherakh asked Komo. "What does that have to do with anything?" Phoenix asked him. "Oh, trust me. You'll have a blast making your prey dance to your tune with my plan," Sherakh said. "Hmm... tell me more," Komo said, causing Sherakh to smirk in delight before he began explaining the details of the plan to his boss and coworker.

When Sherakh was finished, Komo noddd his head and smiled. "How long will it take for you to have this whole thing set up?" he asked the tiger. "I need to perform a more intimate tour of the city to find the best possible locations for this little game. I may need at least one or two weeks to properly scout and then set up the devices," Sherakh said. "Of course, on the day that we launch the plan, some of them will need to be fresh. If we leave them unattended for too long, someone else may find them and derail the whole thing by accident," Sherakh said.

"Then why don't we just use some locations as decoys or false flags? Claim that there are explosives in this area or that area, and then watch them run around for nothing before sending them off to a location with a _real_ explosive," Phoenix suggested. "Hm, yes. That would work. It will still take me some time to set this up, of course, but we act in haste, we may alert the authorities before the fun can begin," Sherakh said.

"You've got a point. If someone sees a tiger going to all of these places and leaving various object behind at each location, someone might tip off the cops," Komo said. "Why not have both of us take care of it at the same time?" Phoenix asked. "Anywhere other than Outback Island is a bad idea," Komo said. "Dingos are not common on the mainland, and given that some of the animals here still remember what happened when Arjun played Big and Sharpo against each other... it may be in our best interest to allow Sherakh to handle this. Of course, if you try to shack up with another employer or attempt to betray us while you're out there, you know what will happen," Komo said with a warning tone to the tiger.

"Just because I tolerate you and have brought you into my ranks does not mean that I completely trust you. After all, you abandoned Sakish the moment you realized that he was fucked. I have no doubt that you will do the same with me if given the opportunity," Komo said.

Sherakh took a deep breath. "Very well. Perhaps... you should have someone watching me while I perform my duty, to provide peace of mind for you," Sherakh suggested. Komo and Phoenix looked at each other before nodding their heads in agreement. "That's a good idea. But, who will we send along with you?" Komo asked.

* * *

-Big Line Break-

* * *

 **Chapter 06-A**

 **Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One, Hours Later...**

Chief Bogo glanced up from his paperwork as he heard a noise from his desk computer. Looking at the mail icon on the screen, he quickly logged into the department mail server and looked at the newest entry to his inbox. "Well, that was fast," he said with a sigh.

Opening the e-mail, Bogo read the autopsy report, before his eyes widened. "What the... hell?" he asked himself as he read the report. "This wasn't a suicide... this was murder," he muttered as he looked at the report on the pills found at the scene of the crime. "John... what the hell were you and your daughter really getting yourselves into?" Bogo asked himself quietly.

Looking at the intercom buzzer on his desk, Bogo quickly called Judy and Nick to his office. He then picked up the phone and called Captain Glover. " _What, Chief?_ " the feline asked him tiredly. "Are Gibson and Furrero done on that assignment yet?" Bogo asked him. " _Yeah. They're just finishing their reports. Why?_ " Glover asked in reply.

"I have another assignment for them," Bogo replied darkly. " _Martin... I know that tone of voice you're using. Whatever is going on, you need to distance yourself from it. You're the Chief of Police, so act like it,_ " Glover said. "Martin... do you remember my friend John Bosworth?" Bogo asked the panther.

" _Bosworth? Yeah, I remember him. Has something happened?_ " Glover asked him. "His daughter died last night after jumping off a balcony. I just got the autopsy report in my e-mail," Bogo replied. " _Give me three hours. Furrero and Gibson will have their reports finished by then. I'll send them your way after that. And Martin... tell John that I'm sorry for his loss,_ " Glover said. "I'll be sure to let him know," Bogo said.

* * *

 **Chapter 06-B**

The landlord and Furrero both entered the small living room, where the kitchenette and a dining table were located, along with a small TV and a couch. " _Furrero! Get in here!_ " Gibson yelled out from the entry of the bedroom. Cynthia and the landlord both rushed over to him. "Gibson, what's-oh my god," Cynthia gasped as she saw the body hanging by a rope from the ceiling fan.

"M-Miss Wendel?" the landlord asked, shocked as well. Gibson quickly studied the wolf's open mouth, hanging tongue, and wide eyes. "She's dead. I don't even need to check for a pulse. She's fucking dead," Gibson muttered. Furrero grimaced before she looked around and saw a piece of paper on the bed. She retrieved a pair of sterile gloves from her jacket and slipped them on before grabbing the paper.

"What does it say?" Gibson asked her. Cynthia quickly read the note before looking at her partner. "It's a suicide note," she said, before tilting her head back up to look at the wolf hanging from the ceiling. Despite the presence of the note, there was still something that seemed off about the whole situation to Cynthia and Gibson.

Gibson stole a closer glance at Dina's wide eyes. _Those aren't the depressed eyes of a suicide victim_ , Gibson thought to himself as he looked closer at the dilated pupils. _Those are the eyes of a frightened animal, someone desperate for help and terrified_ , Gibson noted. _Those are the eyes... of a murder victim_.

* * *

Big Line Break

* * *

 **Chapter 07-A**

"You technically interfered with a police investigation, John." "I started it, Martin. I was the one who called _you_ , not the other way around," John spat. "That doesn't matter, John. You lied to my officers when they questioned you. And you're still lying to me now. You _know_ who killed your daughter, John. Why the hell are you protecting these animals?" Martin asked him, raising his voice enough to catch the attention of more animals.

"Martin, you're _bugging_ me," John said in a slightly awkward fashion, which Martin took for the antelope trying not to draw more attention to himself. "Oh, is that right?" Martin asked him, offended. "I'm trying to find out who's responsible for your daughter's death, and you're bugged by it? Are you even listening to yourself, John? My god, even Gerald Hemsfield would show more concern over something like this," Martin said in disgust.

"Gerald's an asshole, Martin," John said. "Yes, I know. But that's the _point_ , John! Why are you protecting these animals? You and I both already know that this wasn't a tragic love story. This was murder. Your daughter and her girlfriend were both murdered to cover up something," Martin said loudly.

"Shh! Dammit, Martin!" John hissed as he dragged the buffalo away from the entrance of the room. "Not everyone in this building is as accepting of changing values as you are. Even I'm not as... _progressive_ , so to speak, as you are," John said. "Did you actually disown your daughter?" Martin asked him. "Look, that's in the-" " _John_ , did you _disown_ you daughter?" Martin asked him.

"Publically... yes. I... I thought that if... it would protect her," John admitted. Martin raised an eyebrow curiously. "I thought... maybe if these people think that she doesn't mean anything to me, they'll leave her alone," John said. "John... that is the _stupidest fucking plan_ I have ever heard of in my life," Martin said in disgust. "You should be _ashamed_ of yourself for even _contemplating_ such an idea," Martin spat at him.

"John, you and Christina were both aware of the same information, weren't you? That just makes your decision even stupider," Martin said in contempt. "I... it seemed like a good idea at the time," John said tearfully. "I just... I wish I could take it back," he said with a shudder. "I really do. The last thing that I said to Christina was that she was dead to me. She... she died thinking that I hated her... and I never got to take it back," John said sorrowfully.

"You deserve the pain you're feeling right now, John. Don't ask me to forgive your stupidity. Ask your daughter," Martin said in a dark tone. "I... I-" "John, if you want to do right by your daughter, then tell me the truth. Who manipulated Dina into killing your daughter?" Martin asked him. "I don't know what you're-" Dammit, John! Enough with the bullshit! You _know_ who's responsible for killing your daughter and her girlfriend, now spit it out, before I knock it out of you," Martin said darkly.

"Dammit, Martin! I have another daughter! I already told you, I'm feeling _bugged_ about this," John said, once again putting emphasis on the word 'bugged'. "John, I swear. If you do not knock this shit off right now, I-" Martin paused as John grabbed a napkin and a pen and wrote something down on it. He then showed it to Martin.

 **THEY ARE WATCHING ME. MY OUTFIT IS** _ **BUGGED!**_

Martin read the message twice before blinking in realization. "Oh my god," he whispered. "Please, just let it go," John pleaded quietly.

* * *

Big Line Break

* * *

 **Chapter 08-A**

"Carrots, think about what you're suggesting," Nick said. "We can't risk letting another bomb go off, Nick. We have no choice. Whatever it takes," Judy said. "God dammit," Nick muttered before Judy shot across the street. He quickly ran after her. "Judy, wait!" Nick cried out as he carried the briefcase.

Judy ran over to the driver's side door and pounded on the window. The driver, a leopard, turned his head to look at her and lowered the window. "You need a lift?" he asked her. "Yes! This is official ZPD business; we need to commandeer your vehicle!" Judy exclaimed.

The leopard raised an eyebrow. "Say what?" he asked her, confused. "We need to commandeer your taxi!" Judy shouted frantically. "Unless you can get us to Oasis Strip in under thirty minutes!" she added. "Today? Maybe in forty, but not thirty," the leopard said.

Judy frowned and pulled out her tranq-gun, causing the leopard and Nick to widen their eyes in shock. "Jesus Christ!" the leopard exclaimed as he saw the gun. "Get out of the taxi! Get out now! Official ZPD business!" Judy shouted at him. The leopard quickly complied, nodding his head in a scared fashion before he unbuckled the seat belt and put the car in park. "Now, get out!" Judy exclaimed.

"Holy shit, Judy! What the hell has gotten into you!?" Nick asked her as the leopard got out of the car. "Nick, just get in!" Judy snapped at him as she got into the driver's seat, adjusting it for her height. "Nick nodded his head and ran over to the other side before getting into the passenger side and closing the door. He and Judy both buckled their seat belts before Jduy backed up the car and pulled out around the larger taxi, rushing through traffic and makign a right turn before taking another one at the nearest intersection, causing several cars to honk their horns.

"Judy, what the _fuck_ are you doing!?" Nick asked her. "We have less than thirty minutes, Nick, and we have a long way to go," Judy replied. "Judy, we won't even have our badges after this is over," Nick said with a frown. "Nick, we can't just let this guy kill hundreds of innocent animals! If we don't get there in time, he'll detonate the bomb remotely! Didn't you hear him!?" Judy asked in response.

"Yes! But... you do realize that we won't have jobs anymore because of that stunt you just pulled, right?" Nick asked her. "I... We can't stop now, Nick! I don't like doing this either, but it's the only choice we have!" Judy replied. Nick could see the tears threatening to spill down his wife's cheek as she struggled internally with her decision.

"Alright. Let's keep going. Just don't get us killed," Nick said as Judy made ran red light after red light, narrowly missing large giraffe and elephant-sized cars and trucks as they passed through each intersection. "Put the pedal to the metal," Judy said under her breath. "Not even Gibson could get away with this shit," Nick muttered to himself.

* * *

 **Chapter 08-B**

Judy watched out the window as the train entered a large tunnel that soon sloped downward before leveling out. They were nearing the underground portion of Central Station. Judy's uniform had been mostly cleaned and wiped, although it was still moist in some spots. "Okay, the phone's ready," Judy said as she looked up at the digital clock on the wall.

 **01:29 pm.**

"Make the call," Nick said to her. Judy nodded her head and took the track phone out of her pocket. She looked back up at the clock before dialing. " _Hello there, Wilde. I take it you have both reached the platform in time?_ " Simon asked her. "We're on the train and it's just pulling in now," Judy said. " _Oh, Judith... I said to call me when you arrived at the_ _ **platform**_ _,_ " Simon said with a disappointed tone.

"But, we're on the train! Doesn't that count? I mean, it's just pulling into the station!" Judy exclaimed. " _I'm sorry, but you were supposed to call me when you had reached the_ _ **platform**_ _, not beforehand. I am afraid that this counts as non-compliance. The bomb has a five minute countdown timer, and I am activating it... now. Good luck finding it in time,_ " Simon said before hanging up.

* * *

Big Line Break

* * *

 **Chapter 11-A**

"Phoenix, I think we should go with _my_ plan now," Sherakh suggested. "Well, you had your chance to talk willingly, buddy," Phoenix said to Lisker as Sherakh walked away. "You had your chance to listen," Lisker retorted. Phoenix hit him in the stomach again. Soon, Sherakh returned with a cart and a large device on top of it. It resembled a defibrilator with large woolly ear muffs attached to it. "What the hell is _that?_ " Lisker asked the tiger after he saw it.

"Oh, this? It works in a manner similar to a trucker telephone, or a defibrillator on overcharge," Sherakh said with a grin. "A trucker... oh fuck me," Lisker muttered. "Sorry. I prefer females," Sherakh said, prompting Phoenix to chuckle. "No, it's just... shit, I'm gonna found out how Benezio's victims felt," Lisker said to himself, before chuckling at the situation.

"Oh well, I probably deserve _this_ ," he said with a dry chuckle. Sherakh and Phoenix both raised eyebrows at this statement, curious as to what Lisker meant. "What do you... what do you mean?" Phoenix asked him. "Well... it all started decades ago, when I noticed how certain criminals slipped through the cracks of the justice system," Lisker began, soon telling the duo a very similar story to what he had once told Judy. Time had faded his memories of certain events, however, so certain details had changed.

When he was done, Sherakh and Phoenix both looked at the wolf in bewilderment. "You know what? You probably _do_ deserve this," Phoenix said. "Yes, but instead of doing this for informatino, I'm just going to do it for _fun_ now," Sherakh said.

* * *

 **Chapter 11-B**

"That's what I thought," Komo said before he turned to look at Ben and Victoria. "Would you both like to watch as I put new wounds on your mommy and daddy?" Komo asked them with a snicker. The two hybrids merely sniffled. "Y-You..." Victoria started, before she found herself stuttering in fright as Komo slowly walked over to her.

"I... what?" Komo asked the frightened hybrid. "That's right. Nothing. You have nothing to say, and there is nothing that any of you can do at this point," Komo said as he turned to face Nick and Judy. "Face it. No one is going to help you. There aren't anymore heroes left in this world, and _no one_ is going to save you," Komo said haughtily.

Just then, one of the doors burst open and a cart rolled into the room, carrying Sherakh's body on it as it slammed into a coyote mercenary, knocking them onto the floor. "What the _fuck?_ " Komo asked in confusion as a gray wolf ran into the room and pulled out a gun, shooting another mercenary, a leopard, in the head.

"L-Lisker!?" Nick asked in shock as the wolf launched himself at another wolf and used him as a shield as a fourth mercenary, a tiger, opened fire on him. Lisker quickly used the fallen wolf's body as cover as he returned fire at the tiger, striking him in the throat and the chest. Komo, meanwhile, was stunned into silence by the sight of this lone wolf making him eat his own words. Something like this had never happened to him before now.

Lisker quickly grabbed the fallen wolf's SMG from the floor as he rushed over to grab Ben and Victoria from behind Komo and rushed them over to Nick and Judy's side, ignoring the stunned lizard. Lisker quickly pulled a knife out of his pocket and cut the tape around Nick and Judy's wrists. Behind Komo, the first mercenary, a golden jackal, groaned as he got up from the floor.

"Behind you!" Judy shouted. Lisker quickly turned around and fired the last rounds from the Walrus PPK at the mercenary, who promptly fell back to the floor. Lisker resumed untying the Wildes, freeing them before standing up. "Come on, move!" Lisker ordered them before handing the SMG to Nick. "It'll fit in your paws," Lisker said, just before he felt scaly hands grab his shoulders and throw him over to the side against a wall.

"Ack!" Lisker cried out as he saw Komo advancing on him, his eyes burning with hatred. "You," Komo growled out angrily as he began salivating. "Yeah, me. What's it to ya, asshole?" Lisker asked before Komo turned around and whacked him in his midsection with his mighty tail, breaking several ribs. "Holy shit!" Lisker cried out in pain.

Komo then turned back around and leaned forward to grab Lisker, pushing him up against the wall and hissing at him. Lisker looked over at the Wildes, who were still standing where he had left them. "Judy! Nick! Get your kids and get out of here!" Lisker shouted at them.

Nick raised his SMG and fired it at Komo. The dragon let out a hiss of pain as the bullets scraped his hide. He quickly turned his head to growl at the Wildes. "I guess I'm killing _all of you_ at once today," Komo snarled. Lisker quickly raised his legs, ignoring the pain in his abdomen, and kicked into Komo's midsection. The dragon stumbled back a foot before Lisker dropped to the floor and hobbled away. "Hey, big boy! F-Follow me," Lisker taunted.

Komo looked over at Lisker before pulling out a deringer from his pocket. "No," Komo said before firing it at Lisker's stomach. The wolf fell back to the floor with a gasp, holding his stomach in pain. "Lisker!" Judy cried out, before Nick grabbed her shoulder and ushered her and their children out of the room and into the hallway.

Komo watched them retreat before he turned his gaze back over to Lisker. "I'll finish you later. If you're lucky, you'll die before I return," Komo said before dropping his derringer on the floor and making his way over to his fallen mercenaries, grabbing their weapons. He then started making his way down the hallway that the Wildes had disappeared into.

* * *

 **Chapter 11-C**

"Alright, the exit's over there. We're almost-" "There they are! Get 'em!" a voice shouted through the music. "Shit!" Lisker hissed as he turned around, seeing a jackal and a leopard making their way over to them with their guns raised. "No choice," Lisker muttered as he raised his gun and fired at the ceiling. "Everybody _DOWN!_ " Lisker shouted before he and Nick opened fire at the two approaching mercenaries, just before another one ran out from behind the stage near the strippers.

"Above us!" Nick shouted as the mercenary ran over and opened fire at them. Lisker hissed as he was hit in the side before Nick opened fire and took the mercenary down. The crowd began panicking and screaming as the two groups waged battled against each other in the club. Another mercenary, a hyena, rushed out from near the bar and opened fire at them, hitting Lisker again before Nick turned around and took him out.

Judy huddled her children close to her as she ushered them closer to the exit. "Keep your heads down," Judy whispered to Ben and Victoria as she covered their ears. Meanwhile, Lisker was leaning against the stage, panting heavily as he reached over to his side and felt the sticky warmth of blood. He raised his paw up to his face. "Well, shit," he muttered in dismay.

He quickly pushed himself away from the stage as he stepped forward. "C-Come on. We need to... keep moving," he panted out. "You guys... have your badges and IDs still on you, right?" Lisker asked Nick and Judy as they made their way through the frightened crowd. "Yeah," Judy replied as she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out her badge and ID. "N-Nick?" Lisker asked.

"Yeah," Nick replied before doing the same. "Alright, let's-get down!" Lisker shouted as he saw a wolf mercenary enter the doors of the club and raise a weapon. Lisker quickly opened fire at the wolf, causing him to drop his weapon to the floor before falling himself. "You sure that these guys... are trained professionals?" Lisker asked skeptically. "Not these guys. I think some of these guys are locals that were recruited," Nick said as the group moved closer to the exit.

"Too many Pangeosian natives to be from Reptaelia," Nick said as they neared the exit, just before a near-deafening roar split through the air of the club. " _ **WILDE! LISKER!**_ " Lisker ushered the Wildes to keep moving through the exit hall. "Don't stop!" he wheezed out before turning around and grabbing the fallen wolf's SMG for himself.

Lisker looked over into the crowd and saw Komo barging through, holding a vest and an SMG of his own as he roughly pushed everyone aside. "You're dead, wolf! You're fucking dead!" Komo roared as he opened fire at the wolf. "shit!" Lisker hissed as he ran for cover, opening his wounds further before diving behind a booth. "Shit, I'm gonna die tonight. I'm gonna die. There's not way around it," the wolf muttered to himself.

"I'm gonna eat you alive," Komo threatened as he pushed more patrons out of his way. Lisker checked his SMG before getting up with a hiss of pain and aiming at Komo. He opened fire at the dragon, who quickly leaned over and grabbed a table, picking it up to use as a shield. "Shit," Lisker muttered before ducking down behind the booth.

He quickly looked up after hearing heavy breathing, seeing Komo holding the table above him. "So, you come here often?" Lisker asked him before raising his SMG, just as Komo dropped the table down on him. "Aah!" Lisker cried out as the weight of the table pushed down on him, knocking his gun out of his paw as he gasped in pain..

"When I'm done with the Wildes... it'll be your turn," Komo muttered before walking away and practically galloping to the door. Lisker wheezed in an out as he felt pain spread throughout his entire body. "N-No. Come on, Milt. Gotta... gotta get up," Lisker said to himself tiredly as he slowly pushed the table off of his body.

* * *

Big Line Break

* * *

 **Chapter 12-A**

Judy quickly ducked as she turned around, running back and leaping over onto a store window and bouncing off to latch onto Komo's arm as he caught up with them. Grabbing the arm and hand, Judy tugged and bit at it, forcing Komo to swing his arm around in an attempt to dislodge her. Judy looked over at Komo as he snarled, before moving herself closer and kicking at his head.

"Graah!" Komo yelled as he let go of the flare gun, dropping it on the ground as he turned the wheel and spun the taxi around wildly before taking it back on track. "Stay! Away! From! My! _**Family!**_ " Judy exclaimed with emphasis as she kicked her feet at Komo's head. Komo growled at Judy before spitting at her face. "Ack!" Judy cried out as the Komodo's saliva hit her in the face.

Komo quickly swung his arm back into the side panel of the cab, causing Judy to cry out in pain as her back was slammed into the frame. "Had enough!?" Komo asked her as he repeated the action before bringing his arm around and throwing Judy into the seat next to him. Judy landed with a thud and a groan.

 **Chapter 12-B**

"Shit!" Gibson exclaimed in frustration and horror. "Put away the gun!" Komo yelled at him before moving his tail to raise it above Judy. Judy groaned in pain before looking up at Cynthia. Glancing back over across the street at Nick and Gibson, Judy saw something on the ground not too far away. It was Komo's flare gun, and Komo's back and torn shirt were covered with alcohol.

"Nick!" Judy called out, causing Komo to glare at her. Judy pointed over at the ground, keeping her fingers mostly outstretched to give the appearance of reaching out for help, confusing Nick until he saw the flare gun. Glancing back over at Judy, Nick saw his wife nod her head. Nodding his head as well in affirmation, Nick ran over and grabbed the gun from the ground, noticing that Komo had re-focused his attention on Cynthia and Gibson.

"Now, don't worry, Furrero," Komo whispered into Cynthia's ears, "I was planning to kill you and the lion too at some point. All of you were responsible for Arjun's death and my empire being crippled." Cynthia mere grunted in response. "Do you really think... that you'll have any chance of getting out of here alive for this?" Cynthia asked him.

"I don't care at this point. As long as I kill you guys and the Wildes, I can die with peace of mind," Komo replied with a smirk. At that point, Cynthia realized that there was no negotiating with Komo. As she looked over at Gibson, who was waiting for an opening, she felt Komo press the barrel of her gun against her head even harder. She then caught movement out of the corner of her eye, as she saw something flying through the air over the street.

A minute later, after hearing a clattering sound on the sidewalk, Cynthia heard Judy's voice. "Hey, Komo!" Judy shouted, causing the dragon to put his head behind Cynthia's as he looked at the hare. "Beer is supposed to be taken _internally_ ," Judy said with a smirk before she flipped off the lizard. "How nice," Komo retorted.

Judy glared at him. _I hate doing this, but it's the only way to get his attention._ "I don't see how Arjun could have ever replaced you, Komo. He didn't even put up a fight when I killed him," Judy said, causing the dragon's eyes to widen before narrowing in rage. "Fuck the coywolf!" Komo shouted before tossing Cynthia to the side.

* * *

 **Chapter 12-C**

"Lisker?" Gibson asked. "Yeah. It's him," Bogo replied mournfully. "Damn. I actually kind of liked the guy," Gibson said. Bogo merely sighed in response. "I think... he's earned a proper burial for his sacrifice, at least," Bogo said. "Huh?" Gibson asked him. "I may not be able to forgive you for what he did to Wilde, but... you've earned my gratitude... for giving your life to save theirs," Bogo said to the wolf's corpse.

"Rest in peace, Milton Lisker," Bogo said with a salute. After making sure that Lisker's body was handled properly as it was put in a body bag, Bogo and Gibson made their way back to the Wildes, who were now being treated in an ambulance. Nick and Judy both looked over at Bogo expectantly.

"Ouch," Nick said with a wince as the lioness EMT cleaned his wounds. "Crybaby. How many times in my career am I going to deal with you guys?" Mala asked rhetorically. "So... where's Lisker?" Nick asked.

"He's on his way to the morgue," Gibson replied. "He lost a lot of blood, from what we saw on the ground. But, he apparently made a bomb go off inside a van too," Gibson said. "So... he's dead," Nick said. "Yes, Nicholas. Lisker died in his efforts to help you. You don't have to forgive him for what he did in the past, but at least know that he tried to make up for it," Bogo said.

* * *

Author's Notes: As you can see, a lot of this stuff just didn't quite work out the way I had hoped. And, of course, the section where Judy taunts Komo was something I cut out because, well, it just didn't fit with Judy's character. Even with a mental note from herself saying how much she despised what she was doing, it still didn't seem right to me.

Well, in any case. This is the end. Unless a whole bunch of people ask me to continue in some way. As always please let me know what you think in your reviews. I really do appreciate them.


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